Guidance on the Reclassification of Teaching and School Principal Positions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026

Guidance on the Reclassification of Teaching and School Principal Positions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026

The Department of Education (DepEd) has released DM-OUHRODI-2026-6802, providing critical guidance on the reclassification of teaching and school principal positions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2026. With a substantial allocation of Php 6,148,433,000.00, this move supports the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System to ensure merit-based advancement for educators.

Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming reclassification process.

1. Addressing the Backlog: FY 2025 Applications

The immediate priority is to clear pending applications from the previous fiscal year.

• Old Guidelines (ERF, MEC10): SDOs must submit the 5,335 identified backlog applications to the DBM by April 2, 2026. Applications not submitted by this strict deadline will no longer be accepted under old rules and must undergo the new ECP assessment.

• ECP Guidelines: Qualified applicants from the 2025 CAREER (Comparative Assessment Results for Expanded Reclassification) who were not funded previously must be submitted to DBM-RO by April 30, 2026. These applicants are "in the queue" and do not need to repeat the assessment process.

2. Processing FY 2026 Applications

While backlogs are prioritized, SDOs can continue processing new applications for 2026, including positions for Teacher II-VII, Master Teacher I-V, and School Principal I-IV.

• Funding: Reclassifications are subject to fund availability certified by the Budget Officer. If funds are exhausted, eligible applicants will remain in the CAREER pool for the next budget cycle.

• Prioritization: In line with the directive that "no teacher should retire at Teacher I," priority is given to:

• Retirable Teacher I incumbents (ages 55–64).

• Head Teachers (HT) and Assistant School Principals (ASPs) affected by the ECP transition.

• Specialized roles like SNET and Special Science Teachers (SST).

3. Key Timelines for 2026

To ensure salary adjustments are included in the next budget cycle, the following deadlines must be observed:

• August 15, 2026: SDOs must complete assessments and endorse documents to Regional Offices (ROs).

• November 30, 2026: ROs must submit approved documents to the DBM-RO for evaluation and NOSCA issuance.

• January – March 2027: Preparation and issuance of official appointments.

4. Special Provisions & Transition Guidelines

• Special Needs Education Teachers (SNET): While revised qualification standards (QS) are pending, SDOs will use regular QS for reclassification. Incumbents will continue their current duties unless reclassified to a principal position.

• Master Teacher III to IV: Applicants must undergo a special assessment to demonstrate performance at the Distinguished Career Stage. This includes classroom observations and a Reflective Journal documenting leadership and innovations.

• Vacant Positions: Positions like Head Teacher or ASP will no longer be filled if they become vacant. Instead, they will be converted to appropriate ECP positions through "Scrap-and-Build" policies.

Resources for Educators

DepEd has provided a Career Progression Toolkit containing forms, templates, FAQs, and orientation videos. You can access these materials at https://tinyurl.com/CareerProgToolkit.

For further clarifications, educators may contact the BHROD-HRDD via email at bhrod.hrdd@deped.gov.ph.

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