Puerto Rico DoE strengthens student security with Intune and Security Copilot

Puerto Rico Dept. of Education (DoE) faced the challenge of managing more than 200,000 student and staff devices across 857 schools with a small IT team, lacking unified tools to keep up with evolving cyberthreats targeting K–12 education.

Puerto Rico DoE adopted Microsoft Intune for centralized device management and became a global education design partner for Security Copilot, automating threat detection and accelerating incident response with AI-driven security tools.

With Intune and Security Copilot, Puerto Rico DoE improved efficiency, reduced phishing and user issue calls, accelerated threat response, and built a resilient, future-ready education system supporting inclusive learning and student safety.

When the Puerto Rico Department of Education (PR DoE) set out to modernize its IT infrastructure, it faced a daunting challenge: managing more than 200,000 student and staff devices across 857 schools with a lean IT team of just 30 people.

“We were managing thousands of devices with tools that didn’t talk to each other. It was unsustainable,” says Marie Ortiz Sánchez, Chief Information Officer at PR DoE. Adding urgency to the issue at PR DoE, CISA notes that K–12 schools are frequent targets because they hold sensitive personal and financial data.

Regaining centralized control for student safety

To unify its device management strategy, PR DoE migrated 40,000 iPad devices to Microsoft Intune from another mobile device management provider, helping to centralize control over its vast fleet of student and staff devices. The department also used Windows Autopilot to configure and deploy more than 200,000 cloud-native devices remotely, a significant deployment, saving time and helping ensure consistency. Custom profiles were created to support special education students, enabling equitable access to learning.

“We were managing thousands of devices with tools that didn’t talk to each other. It was unsustainable.”

Marie Ortiz Sánchez, Chief Information Officer, Puerto Rico Department of Education

“Before Intune, there was no unified system. It was complicated and inefficient,” recalls William Ruiz Gomez, Director of Infrastructure at PR DoE. “Now, managing machines remotely is much easier. We’ve seen fewer alerts, fewer user calls, and lower phishing rates.”

Microsoft Intune and Microsoft Security Copilot are built into the devices used by students and teachers. Beverly Morro, Secretary of Academic Affairs at PR DoE, explains, ”This configuration provides a more secure environment for educators to proceed confidently with differentiated instruction, knowing that data privacy is a priority.”

But device management was only part of the equation. As cyberthreats grew more sophisticated, PR DoE needed a way to strengthen its security posture using its lean IT team of 30, due to interagency staff training limitations. The department became a design partner for Security Copilot, one of the first generative AI security products that empowers defenders to respond to threats at machine speed.

“Security Copilot gives us visibility and control we never had before.”

Beverly Morro, Secretary of Academic Affairs, Puerto Rico Department of Education

“Before Microsoft Security Copilot, threat detection was slow, incident management was manual, and compliance with new cybersecurity laws was a constant challenge,” says Manuel Sanchez López, Chief Information Security Officer at PR DoE. “The scale was massive, and the stakes were high. We chose Copilot because it interoperated seamlessly with our existing tools, Microsoft Sentinel and Microsoft Defender.”

Automating security and accelerated incident response

Using Security Copilot, PR DoE can automate threat detection, accelerate incident response, and gain visibility into its environment using natural language prompts. Administrators can ask for summaries of security alerts or device compliance reports and receive actionable insights in seconds.

“Attackers use AI to create their attacks—the only way to respond is with AI.”

Manuel Sanchez López, Chief Information Security Officer, Puerto Rico Department of Education

“Security Copilot gives us visibility and control we never had before,” says Morro. “It’s helping us protect our students and staff while supporting our mission to deliver quality education.”

The rollout of Security Copilot took six months and required close collaboration across departments. But the results were immediate: faster threat identification, reduced response times, and a stronger security foundation.

Visibility provided by security tools like Copilot has improved the ability for PR DoE to detect and respond to threats in real time. “This is crucial, given the constant evolution of cyberthreats,” says Sanchez López. “Attackers use AI to create their attacks—the only way to respond is with AI. Our vision is to keep automating and strengthening how we manage our large user base.”

Transforming PR DoE today and building future-ready systems for tomorrow

By combining Microsoft Intune and Security Copilot, PR DoE has transformed its IT operations, improving efficiency, enhancing security, and supporting inclusive learning. The department’s success demonstrates how public sector organizations can scale innovation with the right tools and partnerships.

Looking ahead, PR DoE plans to expand its use of AI to further automate operations and support student success. With Microsoft as a strategic partner, the department is building a resilient, future-ready education system for Puerto Rico.

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