DepEd Order No. 15 s. 2026: Comprehensive Guide to Summative Tests, Term Exams, & Why You Need a Summative Test TOS

DepEd Order No. 15 s. 2026: Comprehensive Guide to Summative Tests, Term Exams, & Why You Need a Summative Test TOS

Hello, fellow educators! If you have been keeping up with the latest issuances, you’ve likely seen the revised guidelines on classroom assessment under DepEd Order No. 15, s. 2026. The central theme of this new directive is clear: DepEd mandates that schools and teachers prioritize assessment quality over quantity, actively avoiding practices that lead to assessment overload and excessive checking. The goal is a purposeful and manageable evaluation of our learners.

To help you navigate these comprehensive changes, let’s break down the core provisions regarding Written/Oral Works (WWs), Product/Performance Tasks (PTs), and Examinations (EXs). We will also cover a critical piece of advice regarding the Table of Specifications (TOS) that isn't explicitly mandated for all tests, but is pedagogically essential.

Recommended Assessment Quantities & Integration

To ensure a manageable pacing for both teachers and students, DepEd has provided approximate ranges for summative assessments per learning area, per term for Grades 4-12:

• Written/Oral Works (WWs): 3 to 5 per term.
• Product/Performance Tasks (PTs): 2 to 3 per term.
• Examinations (EXs): 2 Summative Tests (STs) and 1 Term Examination (TE) per term.

Furthermore, to lighten the load, teachers are encouraged to use a single assessment task as evidence across multiple learning areas to support integrated and thematic learning. For instance, a single Product/Performance Task can be evaluated using different rubrics aligned with specific learning competencies from various subjects.

The New Rules: Summative Tests vs. Term Examinations

Examinations must be teacher-made, competency-aligned, and based strictly on the lessons actually covered. Here is how they are structured:

1. Summative Tests (STs)

• ST 1 is administered around the 16th instructional day and generally covers lessons from the first 15 instructional days.
• ST 2 is administered around the 32nd instructional day and covers lessons from the subsequent 15 instructional days.
• As a strict rule, the number of items in each ST must not exceed half (1/2) of the total items specified for the Term Examination.

2. Term Examination (TE)

• Administered during the final instructional days of the term, the TE primarily covers competencies taken after the second ST.
• Crucially, the TE must also include selected critical or least-mastered competencies from earlier parts of the term.
• The number of test items for the TE per Key Stage shall be guided by the teacher's Table of Specifications (TOS).

Maximum Item Limits by Key Stage

Table 4 of the guidelines outlines the standard item counts for Term Examinations to standardize workload:

• KS1 (Kindergarten): No Term Examination is administered. Assessment relies primarily on observational, oral, and performance-based evidence aligned with the Tracking Our Progress: Kindergarten! framework.
• KS1 (Grades 1 to 3): TE is minimal, teacher-determined, and only for selected learning areas if developmentally appropriate. It should only be used for competencies best assessed through written responses.
• KS2 (Grades 4–6): 40 items. (Meaning ST cannot exceed 20 items).
• KS3 (Grades 7–10): 50 items. (Meaning ST cannot exceed 25 items).
• KS4 (Grades 11–12): 60 items. (Meaning ST cannot exceed 30 items).

Why You MUST Prepare a TOS for Summative Tests

If you read the guidelines closely, the requirement for a Table of Specifications (TOS) is explicitly tied to guiding the Term Examination (TE). However, stepping into the classroom reality, preparing a TOS for your Summative Tests is highly critical. Here is why:

The DepEd Order explicitly states that your Term Examination must include "selected critical or least-mastered competencies from earlier parts of the term".

How can you accurately identify which competencies were least mastered if you didn't map them out during Summative Tests 1 and 2?

If you write an ST without a TOS, you only generate raw scores. But if you draft a TOS for your Summative Tests, you map every single question to a specific learning competency. Once you check the papers, you can perform an item analysis to see exactly which competencies your class struggled with. When it is time to build your end-of-term assessment, you won't have to rely on guesswork. You can seamlessly integrate those identified "least-mastered competencies" into your TE TOS. While the policy might not mandate an ST TOS on paper, the pedagogical design of the Term Examination practically requires it.

Use the DepEd Tambayan PH TOS and TEST Generator

We know that aligning tests to these new standards, staying within item limits, and tracking competencies can be time-consuming. To help ease the workload of our fellow public school teachers, DepEd Tambayan PH has developed an automated TOS and TEST Generator.

This tool is designed to guide teachers in seamlessly preparing assessment materials that are fully compliant with DepEd Order No. 15, s. 2026. It helps you properly allocate test items, ensure you are within the new maximum limits, and easily track those crucial competencies.

👉 Click here to access the DepEd Tambayan PH TOS and TEST Generator

A Note on the Ethical Use of AI and Technology

Lastly, DO 15, s. 2026 also addresses the growing use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) by adopting DO No. 3, s. 2026. Teachers and learners using AI tools must uphold integrity, ensuring that outputs reflect the learner's own work and thinking. Notably, for data privacy, personally identifiable learner data shall not be uploaded to AI platforms. Furthermore, Written Works completed outside of class must include measures to ensure authenticity, such as drafts, notes, or proper citation of sources including AI.

Download Official DepEd Resources

Access the official copies of the DepEd Order and the newly adjusted electronic class records using the links below:

📥 Download DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 (PDF) 📊 Download Adjusted Electronic Class Record (Excel)