DepEd Order 034, s. 2025 - Amendments and Clarifications to DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025 (Guidelines on the Implementation of the Expanded Career Progression System for Teachers and School Heads in the Department of Education)

DepEd Order 034, s. 2025

Amendments and Clarifications to DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025

(Guidelines on the Implementation of the Expanded Career Progression System for Teachers and School Heads in the Department of Education)

 

 

OCT 14 2025

 

DepEd ORDER

No. 034, s. 2025

 

AMENDMENTS AND CLARIFICATIONS TO DEPED ORDER NO. 024, S. 2025

(Guidelines on the Implementation of the Expanded Career Progression System for Teachers and School Heads in the Department of Education)

 

To:      Undersecretaries

Assistant Secretaries

Bureau and Service Directors

Regional Directors

Schools Division Superintendents

All Others Concerned

 

1. In line with the Department of Education’s (DepEd) continuing commitment to ensure the effective, efficient, and equitable implementation of the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System for Teachers and School Heads, pursuant to Executive Order (EO) No. 174, s. 2022, its Implementing Rules and Regulations, and Department of Budget and Management (DBM)-DepEd Joint Circular No. 1, s. 2025, the following amendments and addenda to DepEd Order (DO) No. 024, s. 2025 (Guidelines on the Implementation of the Expanded Career Progression System for Teachers and School Head in the Department of Education) are hereby issued to facilitate a smooth transition, strengthen policy clarity, and provide operational guidance to ensure uniform and responsive implementation. 

 

2. These amendments aim to clarify transitory provisions, refine policy guidelines for consistency, and uphold fairness and adherence to merit- and competency based principes. They also clarify documentary requirements, strengthen guidance on qualififcation standards (QS) and performance criteria, and enhance the reclassification and assessment process to ensure equitable opportunities for all qualified teachers and school heads.

 

3. This issuance shall cover all provisions necessary to ensure the effective transition and full implementation of the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System for Teachers and School Heads as provided under DO No. 024, s. 2025.

 

4. This Order shall serve as a guide for all Regional Offices (ROs), School Division Offices (SDOs), and other concerned governance levels in the implementation, monitoring, and reporting of activities and processes related to the ECP System, in accordance with existing Civil Service Commission (CSC), DBM, and DepEd policies and regulations. 

 

Rationale

 

5. The ECP System adopts a merit- and competency-based career progression framework wherein promotion is anchored on the attainment of prescribed qualification, performance, and competency standards, rather than on automatic advancement derived solely from length of service, professional training, or education attainment. This framework ensures that applicants' credentials in education, training, and experience are duly recognized and assessed holistically, in balance with other key criteria such as performance indicators and demonstrated professional accomplishments. Through this approach, the DepEd upholds fairness, transparency, and quality in the implementation of career progression across all teaching and school leadership positions. 

 

Scope

 

6. As reiterated, DO No. 024. s. 2025 covers the career progression and/or promotion of Teachers, Master Teachers, and School Heads holding permanent appointments in kindergarten to Senior High Schools (SHS) levels, including those handling Alternative Learning System, Madrasah Education, and Indigenous Peoples Education (IPEd) programs. rt shall likewise apply to Special Science Teachers and Special Needs Education Teachers whose positions bear such parenthetical titles, pursuant to Sections 21 and 25 of the IRR of EO No. 174, s. 2022.

 

To ensure clarity and consistency in implementation, these guidelines shall specifically cover the following positions:

 

Class	Level	Salary Grade
Teacher	I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII	11, 12, 13, 14,15, 16, 17
Master Teacher	I, II, III, IV, V	18, 19, 20, 21, 22
School Principal	I, II, III, IV	19, 20, 21, 22

 

7. This Order docs not apply to positions belonging to the following job groups:

 

a. Guidance Coordinators, Guidance Counselors, School Counselors, and School Counselor Associates;

b. School Farming Coordinators;

c. Vocational Instruction Supervisors;

d. School Librarian I, II, III, and other positions in the Library Service Group assigned in schools, regardless of whether they are assigned at least one teaching load;

e. Teaching positions in non-DepEd-managed schools and community learning centers, such as:

i. Philippine High Schools for the Arts (PHSA), National Academy for Sports (NAS), and other schools and community learning centers (CLCs] managed by DepEd attached agencies;

ii. Philippine Science High Schools (PSHS); and

iii. State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) offering basic education (e.g., junior high school {JHS) and SHS programs, and laboratory schools);

f. Teaching positions in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM); and

g. Other positions that are neither specified in EO No. 174, s. 2022, nor specifically identified by the DepEd as covered by the ECP System.

 

Notwithstanding, the BARMM may adopt and implement the provisions of this Order in the operationalization of the ECP System within the Region, pursuant to EO No. 174, s. 2022.

 

Modified Staffing Standards for Master Teacher

 

8. Section 29 of DO No. 024, s. 2025 authorizes the allocation of one Master Teacher position for every three (3) or five (5) teachers, as applicable, per subject, learning area, or track in the secondary level.

 

9. In accordance with the prescribed Master Teacher-to-Teacher ratio, teachers assigned to teach subjects outside their original academic specialization, as well as those teaching multiple subjects or learning areas as indicated in the duly approved Class Program for the current school year, shall be included in the determination of the required three (3) or five (5) teachers to meet the Master Teacher-to-Teacher ratio. The inclusion of such teachers shall be subject to verification and validation of their actual teaching assignments, as reflected in the duly signed School Form 7.

 

10. A teacher applying for a Master Teacher position must possess the appropriate academic specialization relevant to the subject, learning area, or track to be considered in the determination of the Master Teacher-to-Teacher ratio for the and subject, learning area, or track. Teachers assigned to handle a subject, learning area, or specialization outside their academic field shall be required to have at least five years of cumulative teaching experience in the specific subject, learning area, or specialization, as evidenced by duly approved Class Programs for the corresponding school years. Such experience shall likewise be indicated in the Work Experience Sheet attached to the applicant's Personal Data Sheet (PDS).

 

11. Such recognition shall be anchored on the principles of Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) and career experience, and shall acknowledge the teacher's instructional competence, contextual expertise, and demonstrated contributions to learner outcomes in the assigned subject area. 

 

Qualification Standards and ETE Computation

 

12. Education units and/or degrees relevant or related to education that exceed the minimum qualification requirements of the position based on DO No. 019, s. 2025 (Amended Qualification Standards for Teacher I-III, Master Teacher I-IV, and School Principal I-IV Positions, and the Qualification Standards for Newly Created Teacher IV-VII and Master Teacher V Positions), shall be granted corresponding points in the comparative assessment, in accordance with the increments table provided in DO No. 024, s. 2025.

 

Illustrative example:

 

A Teacher III position requires a minimum Education requirement of a Bachelor's degree. An applicant who has completed master's units or a degree relevant to education shall be accorded corresponding points in the comparative assessment.

 

Similarly, for Master Teacher positions where a Master's degree is required, applicants who have earned doctoral units or a degree relevant to education shall likewise receive corresponding points.

 

This promotes continuous professional development and affirms the DepEd's commitment to a merit-, fitness-, and competence-based system of hiring and promotion.

 

13. All previous and current work experience, whether acquired in the government or private sector, may be credited provided that such experience is functionally related to the duties of the position applied for. The work experience must be relevant and material to the functions of the position and shall be duly certified by the Human Resource Management Officer (HRMO), immediate supervisor, or other authorized official of the applicant's previous or current employer.

 

14. Experience as Head Teacher shall be considered as teaching experience and recognized as relevant when applying for both Teacher and School Principal positions. For School Principal positions, such experience shall be considered relevant for purposes of meeting the five-year teaching experience, on top of the required year/ s of experience in school management and operations or related functions - such as learning area coordination, subject area supervision, or instructional supervision - as prescribed in the QS of the position applied for. The recognition of such experience shall be subject to validation and approval by the CSC.

 

15. The requirement of training acquired within the last five years in the minimum QS for Teacher, Master Teacher, and School Principal positions is consistent with the DepEd's efforts to promote continuous learning and enhance professional competence in response to emerging challenges in the education system. Furthermore, training hours acquired after the last promotion but within the last five years that exceed the minimum training requirements shall be granted corresponding points in the comparative assessment, in accordance with the increments table provided in DO No. 024, s. 2025.

 

This provision ensures that trainings completed by applicants are up-to-date, relevant, and aligned with recent developments in curriculum content, pedagogical approaches, and educational innovations. The recency of such trainings promotes instructional quality and teacher effectiveness, thereby equipping educators with the necessary knowledge and competencies to address the learning needs of 21st-century learners.

 

Documentary Requirements

 

16. All incumbent School Principals shall no longer be required to pass the school head assessment or to submit a Certificate of Rating (COR) when applying for reclassification or promotion to higher School Principal positions. This shall apply to the School Principals who were:

 

a. Appointed prior to the implementation of the Principal's Test, National Qualifying Examination for School Heads (NQESH). and National Assessment for School Heads (NASH);

b. Appointed during the implementation of the Principal's Test, NQESH, and NASH;

c. Appointed during the period when only regional-level DepEd-administered assessments (e.g., the National Qualifying Examination for Principals [NQEP]) were conducted; and

d. Appointed based on the School-Based Management (SBM) assessment criteria.

 

The HRMO shall validate their appointment based on the existing records available in the 201 files at the Records Division.

 

This provision recognizes the established leadership experience and proven track record in school management of concerned personnel, who are already performing and fulfilling the full range of duties, responsibilities, and competencies expected of a School Principal under existing DepEd standards and guidelines.

 

17. For the retitling of positions, which is considered a form of reclassification as defined under Sections 4.0 and 4.6 of Budget Circular No. 2018-3 (Guidelines on the Reclassification of Positions), incumbents shall only be required to meet the minimum QS of the equivalent position.

 

18. In accordance with the above-cited prov1s10ns, DO No. 024, s. 2025 affirms that compliance with the prescribed QS shall be deemed sufficient for retitling purposes. Thus, incumbents shall not be required to undergo the comparative assessment by the Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board (HRMPSB) nor satisfy the performance requirements for the position applied for. For convenience and efficiency in processing, incumbents shall only be required to submit the following documentary requirements:

 

a. Retitling Form (DO No. 24 s. 2025 - Annex T);

b. Duly accomplished Personal Data Sheet (CS Form 212, Revised 2025) with Work Experience Sheet; and

c. Certificates of relevant training attended, sufficient to meet the required number of hours for the equivalent position.

 

For purposes of retitling of positions, documents already on file with the Records Division, such as transcript of records, eligibility documents, and service records, shall not be required for resubmission, as these are already maintained in the employee's 201 files.

 

Performance Requirements

 

19. The classification of Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) Indicators as Classroom Observable Indicators (COls) and Non-Classroom Observable Indicators (NCOis) in the Individual Performance Commitment and Review Form (IPCRF) of Master Teachers for School Year 2024-2025 and earlier shall be based on the classification of each strand as presented in the table below:

 

Domain 1	Domain 2	Domain 3	Domain 4	Domain 5	Domain 6	Domain 7
1.1 (COI)	2.1 (COI)	3.1 (COI)	4.1 (COI)	5.1 (COI)	6.1 (NCOI)	7.1 (NCOI)
1.2 (NCOI)	2.2 (COI)	3.2 (COI)	4.2 (NCOI)	5.2 (NCOI)	6.2 (NCOI)	7.2 (NCOI)
1.3 (COI)	2.3 (COI)	3.3 (COI)	4.3 (NCOI)	5.3 (COI)	6.3 (NCOI)	7.3 (NCOI)
1.4 (COI)	2.4 (COI)	3.4 (COI)	4.4 (NCOI)	5.4 (NCOI)	6.4 (NCOI)	7.4 (NCOI)
1.5 (COI)	2.5 (COI)	3.5 (COI)	4.5 (COI)	5.5 (NCOI)		7.5 (NCOI)
1.6 (COI)
1.7 (COI)

 

Comparative Assessment

 

20. Non-teacher applicants such as incumbents of (a) School Principal position, who intend to switch from School Administration (SA) Career Line to Classroom Teaching (CT) Career Line; (b) Assistant School Principal (ASP) and Head Teacher (HT) position to an appropriate teaching position in the CT Career line; and (c) Teachers with designation as Teacher-in-Charge (TIC) or Assistant School Head Designate applying for higher teaching positions, either through natural vacancy or reclassification, shall be required to undergo assessment in both COi and NCOI. This provision ensures that non-teacher incumbents returning to the teaching career line are equipped with the necessary competencies and that their readiness to perform classroom duties is aligned with the PPST. Accordingly, their qualification and readiness shall be assessed based on the following:

 

a. Classroom-Observable Indicators

 

Non-teacher applicants shall demonstrate proficiency in the PPST COIs through classroom observation using the Classroom Observation Tool for Recruitment, Selection, and Placement (COT-RSP), particularly on the appropriate COT Ru bric levels to capture good performance in the corresponding PPST Career Stage, following the process and protocols as stipulated in the guidelines

 

b. Non-Classroom-Observable Indicators

 

For the NCOI, non-teacher applicants may submit relevant Means of Verification (MOVs) that demonstrate achievement of the required NCOIs. The assessment of these indicators shall be conducted through portfolio annotations using the Portfolio Annotations Form (PAF) and through a Behavioral Events Interview (BEI).

 

Classroom Observation Protocols

 

21. Classroom observation shall be conducted to assess a teacher's demonstration of the required PPST COIs. It shall be done in an actual classroom setting with learners.

 

22. To streamline the conduct of COI assessment under the comparative assessment process, classroom observations conducted within the immediately preceding school year prior to the submission of the application may be considered for purposes of promotion; Provided, that such observation is distinct and separate from the scheduled full-period classroom observation conducted for purposes of the Performance Management and Evaluation System (PMES).

 

23. COI rating sheets of prospective applicants from classroom observations conducted prior to submission of application documents shall be certified by the sub-committee members. It shall only be valid for one year, reckoned from the date of the conduct of the classroom observation. Upon submission of application documents to the SDO, the duly certified rating sheet shall be submitted, subject to verification by the HRMO. It shall be honored as a basis for the computation of the PPST COi criterion, comprising 25°10 of the point system.

 

24. The SDOs shall authorize the creation of sub-committees composed of trained assessors, preferably at the district and school levels, who shall be responsible for the conduct of the COi assessment of applicants and prospective applicants, within their respective schools or districts. The conduct of such assessments shall be in strict adherence to the general guidelines, specific protocols, and tools prescribed under Section 37 of Enclosure No. 2 of DO No. 024, s. 2025. Only those assessors who have completed the prescribed training shall be authorized to conduct classroom observations for promotion purposes.

 

Means of Verification (MOVs)

 

25. The MOVs for assessing the demonstration of the NCOIs through Portfolio Annotation and BEIs shall reflect the teachers' regular teaching-learning duties. These documents are prepared and accomplished as part of the teachers' teaching-related duties and responsibilities throughout the school year, which include, but are not limited to, lesson plans. assessment materials, and Learning Action Cell (LAC) session documentation.

 

For purposes of promotion through reclassification, the MOVs contained in the Results-Based Performance Management System-Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (RPMS-PPST) and/or the PMES for Teachers from the last three rating periods shall be utilized, regardless of the specific indicator under which they were originally submitted, provided that these MOVs clearly demonstrate evidence of performance and attainment of the PPST indicators required for promotion.

 

Comparative Assessment Results for Expanded Reclassification

 

26. The results of the Comparative Assessment for Expanded Reclassification (CAReER) shall remain valid until fully exhausted. Qualified candidates who have obtained the minimum 50-point cut-off score but were not reclassified due to budgetary constraints shall be automatically prioritized in the succeeding fiscal year prior to the consideration of new applicants, without the need to undergo a new assessment, subject to the availability of funds. All eligible candidates shall be accorded the opportunity for reclassification in subsequent years, as the program continues to receive funding and implementation support.

 

Transitory Provisions

 

27. In addition to Section 34(d) of Enclosure No. 1 to DO No. 024, s. 2025, the following provision shall apply:

 

Head Teachers in Secondary schools who are retitled to equivalent Teacher or Master Teacher positions, including those who will later on be tagged as Co-terminus with the Incumbent (CTI), who opt to continue performing their existing function as Department Head shall do so until they vacate the position upon promotion, transfer, resignation, retirement, or separation from service. Only then shall a Master Teacher be designated as Department Head pursuant to Section 36 (c) of Enclosure No. 1 of DO No. 24, s. 2025.

 

28. During the three-year transition period, teachers who do not fully meet the performance requirements for the position applied for may still be considered for promotion, whether through natural vacancy or reclassification, and appointment within or across career stages within the range of three salary grades, provided that they meet the QS for the position applied for. This transitory exemption shall apply under the following conditions:

 

a. Consistently High Performance - Teachers who have received an overall IPCR rating of Very Satisfactory or higher, and obtained consistent Very Satisfactory ratings in all PPST indicators, but are rendered ineligible to apply for positions that require an Outstanding rating in specific PPST objectives;

 

b. Generally Satisfactory Performance - Teachers who received an overall IPCR rating of Very Satisfactory or higher but obtained Satisfactory ratings in certain PPST indicators, thereby rendering them ineligible to apply for positions such as Teacher IV;

 

c. Master Teachers Affected by Indicator Conversion - Master Teachers who, following the conversion of certain PPST indicators from Non-Classroom Observable to Classroom Observable Indicators for promotion purposes, did not meet the performance requirements of the higher position applied for; and

 

d. Teachers with Approved Official Leave of Absence - Teachers who were on approved official leave (e.g., maternity leave, local or foreign scholarship, training grant. or other CSC-authorized leaves). and whose IPCRFs from at most three rating periods prior to the leave of absence show specific performance deficiencies relative to the required performance standards.

 

Teachers who fall under the foregoing conditions may be allowed to apply for and be considered for promotion and appointment, provided that they commit to improving their performance in the current school year's PMES. For this purpose, a maximum of three PPST objectives shall be authorized for inclusion and explicitly reflected in the teacher's IPCRF for the current school year.

 

These indicators shall be treated as priority areas for development, and the teacher concerned shall be expected to demonstrate measurable progress in addressing the identified performance gaps. The said indicators shall be evaluated at the end of the school year, during which the teacher must demonstrate improvement sufficient to meet the performance requirements of the position previously applied for. Such indicators shall not carry any weight allocation and shall not affect the teacher's final PMES rating.

 

29. For this purpose. the enclosed Teacher's Commitment Form on PPST Indicators for Development shall be accomplished and signed by the concerned teacher, and noted by the School Principal, attesting that:

 

a. They have duly noted the list of PPST Indicators identified for improvement;

b. They commit to include said PPST Indicators in their current IPCRF; and

c. They shall undertake corresponding actions to improve performance in these indicators within the current school year.

 

The accomplished and signed form shall be submitted to the HRMO, and a copy shall be secured by the teacher for reference in the performance review and evaluation under the PMES.

 

30. Opportunities to improve on priority PPST indicators may be taken before or after the appointment and shall be demonstrated and documented through any of the following:

 

a. Classroom Observation during the current school year;

b. Learning action cell designed and conducted to improve instructional and pedagogical approaches and other PPST-related indicators, duly corroborated by the team;

c. Performance Coaching and mentoring form duly signed by the Rater and school heads; and

d. Teachers' participation and very satisfactory performance in DepEd programs resulting in improvement of learning outcomes (e.g., ARAL Program).

 

Teachers are advised to organize their portfolios and annotate all relevant documents necessary for the application for promotion.

 

31. Support and recognition measures discussed in Section 30 of this Order shall be continuously adopted to further incentivize and encourage teachers to continually improve their competence and performance.

 

32. This transitory measure shall take effect immediately upon the issuance of this Order. The SDOs shall exercise sound discretion in the implementation, particularly in instances where deadlines ha\·e already been set or have lapsed prior to the issuance of this Order. The SDOs may determine whether to reopen submissions or extend deadlines, as necessary, to accommodate affected teachers and ensure compliance with the provisions herein.

 

33. It is hereby reiterated that relaxation of performance requirements shall be strictly limited to the three-year transition period. After the transition period (i.e., February 24, 2028), the performance requirements for the reclassification of teacher positions shall be governed by the provisions of Section 14 (a) of Enclosure No. 2 of DO No. 024, s. 2025.

 

Notwithstanding the foregoing policy, teachers intending to apply for promotion may be allowed to address or rectify performance deficiencies reflected in their respective IPCRFs in the succeeding school years, after receiving a rating below the required performance level for the position they seek to apply for. Such corrective action shall be undertaken prior to the submission of application documents for promotion.

 

Monitoring and Evaluation

 

34. The Heads of Office shall be responsible for the effective dissemination of this issuance to all HRMPSB members, sub-committees, and relevant stakeholders, ensuring they are adequately informed of the amendments contained herein. Appropriate capability-building interventions may be conducted to facilitate the smooth implementation of this Order. The Heads of Office shall also ensure regular monitoring and strict adherence with these guidelines and establish a systematic feedback mechanism to evaluate, address, and report on implementation and policy concerns that may arise.

 

35. The results of the policy evaluation and consolidated recommendations shall be consulted by the Bureau of Human Resources and Organizational Development-Human Resource Development Division (BHROD-HRDD) with the CSC and other government agencies concerned for appropriate guidance and alignment.

 

36. The BHROD-HRDD shall recommend policy actions pertaining to HR management rules and regulations to the Office of the Secretary, consistent with best interests of the DepEd.

 

Repealing and Effectivity Clauses

 

37. All other provisions stated in DO No. 024, s. 2025 shall remain in full force and effect unless otherwise amended by other DepEd issuances.

 

38. All provisions of the relevant DOs, rules and regulations, and other related issuances that pertain to the expanded career progression in the DepEd, which are inconsistent with this Order and its provisions, are repealed, rescinded, or amended accordingly.

 

39. This Order shall take effect immediately upon its approval and after publication on the DepEd website. Certified copies of this Order shall be registered with the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR) at the University of the Philippines Law Center (UP LC), UP Diliman, Queron City.

 

40. For more information, please contact the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development-Human Resource Development Division, 4th Floor, Mabini Building,. Department of Education Central Office, DepEd Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City, through email at bhrod.hrdd@deped.gov.ph or telephone number (02) 8470-6630.

 

41. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(SGD) SONNY ANGARA

Secretary

 

 

Encl.:

As stated

 

Reference:

DepEd Order (Nos. 24 and 019, s. 2025)

 

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index

under the following subjects:

 

AMENDMENT

EQUIPMENT

FUNDS

POLICY

PROCUREMENT

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

TECHNICAL EDUCATION

VOCATIONAL EDUCATION

 

A full copy of DepEd Order No. 034, s. 2025 below: