DepEd's New Expanded Career Progression System: What You Need to Know

DepEd's New Expanded Career Progression System: What You Need to Know

The Department of Education (DepEd) has rolled out its new Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System for teachers and school heads, as outlined in DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025. This system aims to promote professional development and give teachers more opportunities for career advancement while remaining in the classroom. The ECP is a government response to address the slow rate of promotion in the teaching profession in the Philippines, which a 2018 DepEd study found takes an average of 15 years to go from Teacher I to Teacher III.

New Career Paths and Positions

The ECP system creates additional teaching positions, allowing teachers to advance their careers without having to leave the classroom for administrative roles. Teachers can now be promoted up to Teacher VII and Master Teacher V.

The system provides two distinct career paths:

● The Teaching Career Line for those who wish to focus on classroom teaching.
● The School Administration Career Line for those who prefer to pursue a leadership role.

Teachers can choose between these two career paths once they reach the Master Teacher I position.

Key Features of the ECP System

The new system is anchored on merit, fitness, and competence, and introduces several changes to the promotion and reclassification process.

1. Reclassification as the Primary Means for Promotion

Promotion will be primarily achieved through reclassification, which is intended to make the process faster and more self-paced for teachers. This new approach emphasizes that career advancement should be based on the quality of a teacher's practice, rather than solely on credentials.

2. Modified Staffing Standards

The new standards aim to provide greater opportunities for promotion, even in small schools.

● School Principal: A "one school, one principal" policy will be implemented, authorizing one School Principal item for every unique school, regardless of its position title or level.

● Master Teacher: The Master Teacher-Teacher ratio has been lowered, with one Master Teacher item authorized for every five teachers in most elementary and secondary schools. This means teachers no longer have to transfer to larger, central schools to advance in their careers.

3. Streamlined Application and Assessment Process
Applications for reclassification will be based on a new form, the Reclassification Form for Teaching Positions (RFTP), which evaluates applicants on four main criteria.

● Qualification Standards (QS): This includes a review of your education, training, experience, and eligibility, as defined by the Civil Service Commission (CSC).

● Performance Requirements: Applicants must have a rating of at least "Very Satisfactory" in their latest Individual Performance Commitment and Review Form (IPCRF). The system also specifies the number of Proficient or Outstanding ratings required for certain indicators under the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST).

● Comparative Assessment: This involves evaluating your professional experience and performance through classroom observations and a portfolio review to assess both classroom and non-classroom indicators from the PPST.

● Cut-off Score: To be accommodated for reclassification, candidates must achieve a cut-off score of at least 50 points on the comparative assessment. Those who meet the score but aren't accommodated due to limited funding will be prioritized for the next fiscal year and won't need to undergo the assessment again.

Provisions for Affected Positions

The ECP system includes transitory provisions to help incumbents of affected positions, such as

Head Teachers (HTs) and Assistant School Principals (ASPs), transition into the new framework. These incumbents are considered "on-stream candidates" for the School Administration Career Line for a period of three years.

● Priority for Promotion: They will be given priority for promotion to School Principal I positions without having first to become a Master Teacher I.

● Options for Incumbents: These individuals have the option to either be retitled to an equivalent position in the ECP system or to retain their current position title. Suppose they choose to maintain their position but do not advance within the three-year transition period. In that case, their position will be tagged as "Co-terminus with the Incumbent" (CTI) and will be converted to a Teacher I item once vacated.

● Special Needs and Science Teachers: The positions of Special Needs Education Teachers (SNET) and Special Science Teachers (SST) will be retitled to an equivalent position within the ECP system while retaining their parenthetical titles and functions.

This new system, as President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated, will ensure that "no public school teacher will retire as only a Teacher I" by promoting professional development and career advancement within the ranks.

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