In Department of Education (DepEd) public schools, the school head organizes and leads learning action cell (LAC) sessions. The governing policy is still DepEd Order (DO) No. 35, s. 2016, which made the LAC DepEd’s school-based continuing professional development (CPD) strategy for teachers. Rules issued since then add to it, from the 2024 order on teachers’ workload to the 2026 orders on the school calendar, classroom assessment and lesson planning.

It is written for teachers preparing for the National Assessment for School Heads (NASH, formerly the NQESH) and for new school heads. The topic maps to five strands of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH). They are 4.2 and 4.5 in Domain 4, 3.2 and 3.3 in Domain 3, and 1.2 in Domain 1. The post ends with a sample one-month LAC plan, a sample 90-minute session and three practice items.

Key points

  • Every teacher belongs to a LAC. DO 35, s. 2016 defines a LAC as a group of teachers in collaborative learning sessions “to solve shared challenges encountered in the school”. It puts a LAC’s size at 5 to 15 members.
  • The school head is the LAC leader. The school head forms the groups, links the LAC plan to the School Improvement Plan (SIP) or Annual Implementation Plan (AIP), finds resources and observes classes afterward. A master teacher or senior teacher usually facilitates.
  • Sessions run at least once a month, inside the Instructional Block. DO 35 strongly recommends one to two hours a week. DO 009, s. 2026 keeps LAC sessions in the Instructional Block of each term. DO 005, s. 2024 counts LAC attendance among teachers’ ancillary tasks.
  • Each session moves from input to classroom action. A session has a stimulus, a collaborative discussion, and individual and group action planning. Teachers then try the strategy in class, the school head observes, and the group reviews the results.
  • Success shows first in teaching, not in a quick rise in test scores. DO 35 tells evaluators not to look for an “overly simplistic correlation” between LAC activity and student performance. Its indicators are changes in reflection, curriculum knowledge and pedagogy.
  • LAC costs come from MOOE, and LAC time has limits. Costs may be charged to the school’s Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses (MOOE) as SIP and AIP activities. Sessions may not be used for selling goods, lending, or political and religious meetings.

What a learning action cell is

DO 35, s. 2016 defines a LAC as “a group of teachers who engage in collaborative learning sessions to solve shared challenges encountered in the school”. The sessions are facilitated by the school head or a designated LAC leader. The order adds that LACs will become “school-based communities of practice that are positive, caring, and safe spaces”. In plain terms, a LAC is a small, regular meeting of teachers who study a shared teaching problem, try a solution in class and report back.

The order, dated June 7, 2016, contrasts two kinds of teacher development. It notes that most DepEd training was top-down: experts passed on knowledge through lectures, workshops, and cascaded or echo training. A LAC works from the bottom up. Colleagues study content and pedagogy together, plan lessons together and do action research as a group.

DO 35 states the principle behind it: “supporting CPD is one of the most vital functions of school heads/principals”. It names four aspects of the LAC process. They are collaborative problem solving in a shared area of work, self-directed learning, reflective practice that leads to action, and collective competence.

Objective in DO 35, s. 2016 What it looks like in a school (our examples)
Improve the teaching-learning process so that students learn better Grade 5 teachers change how they teach fractions after they see the same errors in learners’ work
Nurture successful teachers A second-year teacher gets help from colleagues on classroom routines early in the term
Let teachers help each other improve their knowledge, practice, skills and attitudes A Science teacher who runs good experiments demonstrates one for the group
Build a collaborative spirit among school heads, teachers and the community Teachers invite a barangay health worker to a session on learner health and attendance

A LAC session is not the same as in-service training (INSET). Under DO 009, s. 2026, INSET falls in the End-of-Term Block. School professional development activities run “for two (2) days during the End-of-Term Blocks, for a minimum of thirty-two (32) hours annually”. LAC sessions are shorter and more frequent, happen during the term, and follow topics the members choose. The two work well together: a LAC turns an INSET topic into practice in each classroom.

DO 35, s. 2016 today: later DepEd rules on LAC sessions

DO 35 is still in force. Its cover memorandum says it “will remain in force and effect unless sooner repealed, amended, or rescinded”. As of October 2026, no later DepEd order has repealed it.

DO 009, s. 2026 cites DO 35 by name and says LAC sessions “shall continue to be conducted within the Instructional Block”. It also promises “Specific guidelines on the improved implementation of the LAC sessions, including their appropriate scheduling”. These are to come in a later issuance, which DepEd had not issued as of mid-October 2026. Until it appears, DO 35 and the issuances below set the rules.

Issuance What it says about LACs
DO 005, s. 2024, teachers’ workload Lists “Attendance to Learning Action Cell (LAC) sessions” among teacher ancillary tasks, done in the two daily hours not spent on classroom teaching. Lists LAC coordinator among master teachers’ functions.
DO 007, s. 2024, revised School-Based Management (SBM) SBM self-assessment indicator 31: “The school conducts needs-based Learning Action Cells and Learning & Development activities”.
DM-OUHROD-2024-0410, a March 7, 2024 memorandum of the Office of the Undersecretary for Human Resource and Organizational Development Directs schools division offices (SDOs) to apply as CPD providers accredited by the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC). School-level LACs are to be processed for PRC accreditation at the division level.
DepEd Memorandum (DM) No. 089, s. 2025, teacher performance The mid-year review gives teachers feedback on their engagement in activities “such as LAC sessions”.
DO 006, s. 2026, safe learning environment Schools shall “Capacitate personnel through LAC and INSET sessions” on child protection.
DO 015, s. 2026, classroom assessment The school, through the school head, shall “Organize Learning Action Cell (LAC) sessions and other capacity-building activities”.
DO 016, s. 2026, lesson planning “LAC sessions may serve as primary venues for peer learning, sharing effective practices, aligning competencies, and co-creating lesson plans.”

DO 35 refers to the K to 12 curriculum of 2016. Its topic areas now apply to the curriculum in force, including the MATATAG curriculum under DO 010, s. 2024.

Who joins a LAC and how groups are formed

DO 35 is direct: “Every teacher must be part of a LAC”. Teachers may also join other LACs. “One LAC could be composed of five (5) to 15 members”, and a school may organize as many LACs as its needs require. The school head forms the groups at the beginning of each school year.

Grouping in DO 35 Suits Example (ours)
By key stage Concerns shared across a span of grades Kindergarten to Grade 3 teachers working on early reading
By grade level Teachers who share the same learners All Grade 7 teachers working on learners’ move to junior high school
By learning area Content and pedagogy in one subject The Mathematics department of a secondary school
By program Teachers of one program or intervention Teachers who run the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program sessions

LAC clusters for small and multigrade schools

DO 35 allows LACs “in clusters if multigrade schools prefer to conduct them by cluster”. District or division supervisors may cluster multigrade schools “based on the objectives of the LACs to be conducted”. A school with fewer than five teachers cannot form a LAC of the minimum size alone, so a cluster is the practical choice.

Distance is the usual problem. DO 35 allows interaction through information and communications technology (ICT) when face-to-face sessions are hard, “particularly when involving clustered schools”. For example, three multigrade schools with 4, 5 and 6 teachers form one 15-member cluster LAC. They meet once a month at the most central school and report on their classroom try-outs by video call in between. The sample multigrade schedules in Annex A of DO 009, s. 2026 set aside a Friday afternoon slot labeled “Collaborative Session/ Ancillary Tasks”. A school or cluster can use that slot for LAC sessions.

Roles in a learning action cell

DO 35 says each LAC “should have a leader, a facilitator, a documenter, and members”. Resource persons may be invited, though the order prefers them to come “from among the LAC members”. Annex 2 gives the terms of reference for each role.

Role Who Main tasks
LAC leader The principal or school head, leader of all LACs in the school Runs the LAC system for the year (see the next table)
LAC facilitator The school head, a master teacher or a senior teacher; may rotate Plans and runs each session (see the next table)
LAC members Teachers who share a grade level, learning area or key stage Attend and take part; take turns as facilitator, documenter or resource person; apply the learning in class; reflect; bring evidence; let the leader observe
LAC documenter Any member, rotated monthly or per lesson unit Takes minutes on the agreed template; keeps attendance and outputs; helps write progress reports; gathers evidence such as individual plans
Resource person A member, or an external guest when needed Shares practice in curriculum, pedagogy and assessment; leads workshops and demonstrations; coaches teachers for a lesson unit; helps plan the next action

The school head as LAC leader and facilitator

DO 35 says the school head “should lead in organizing the LAC”. The school head also makes sure that regular sessions are “established, maintained, and sustained”. The order says this function “will be included in the performance evaluation of school heads”. School heads also “create safe spaces where teachers can engage in dialogue with each other”.

As LAC leader (all LACs, the whole year) As LAC facilitator (one LAC, one session)
Forms the groups and assigns facilitators Convenes the group and announces topic, time and venue
Leads the LAC plan and links it to the SIP or AIP Prepares a session plan: topic, objectives, materials, activities
Mobilizes resources Prepares the venue, equipment and materials
Agrees with members on how classroom application will be observed Keeps time, checks attendance and keeps the norms
Observes classes, gives feedback and gathers evidence Encourages every member to take part
Submits LAC progress reports to the district and SDO Assigns the documenter and reports to the leader
Meets the facilitator to decide the next topic Invites resource persons when needed

In a small school, the school head often holds both roles. In a larger school, Annex 2 asks for an assigned facilitator in each LAC, “preferably a Master Teacher or senior teacher”. DO 005, s. 2024 also lists LAC coordinator among master teachers’ functions. A school head who facilitates every session alone leaves no one else to learn the role.

For how these roles fit the wider sharing of instructional leadership with head teachers, master teachers and coordinators, see Distributed Leadership in DepEd: Head and Master Teachers and Instructional Leadership for DepEd School Heads.

What LAC sessions cover

Under DO 35, teachers may set the content of LAC sessions “under the general guidance of the school head or LAC leader”. They find their needs through a needs assessment. Their topics should fall within five broad areas.

Broad area in DO 35 Sample topics in 2026 (ours)
Learner diversity and student inclusion Differentiated tasks in one lesson; remedial instruction for learners who read below grade level
Content and pedagogy of the curriculum Unpacking the competencies of a curriculum guide; collaborative lesson planning under DO 016, s. 2026
Assessment and reporting Formative assessment and the grading rules of DO 015, s. 2026; using item analysis to plan reteaching
21st-century skills and ICT integration Simple ICT use with the devices the school has; DO 016’s limits on using artificial intelligence (AI) in lesson planning
Curriculum contextualization, localization and indigenization Local examples for Mathematics word problems; working with an Indigenous community on lesson content

The order adds urgent school issues. These include school data on participation, attendance, completion and assessment, child-finding, and programs that include more learners. LAC sessions also cover the DepEd policies behind these needs.

LAC sessions for a child-friendly, safe school

DepEd’s mission promises that “Students learn in a child-friendly, gender-sensitive, safe, and motivating environment” (DepEd Order No. 36, s. 2013). DepEd’s 2026 order on a safe and motivating learning environment repeats that promise, committing DepEd to learners’ welfare and safety “through child-friendly, gender-sensitive, safe, and motivating environment” (DO 006, s. 2026, Sec. II). That order and EDCOM II both name LAC sessions as one way to keep it:

  • DO 006, s. 2026. Section IX of DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026, on a safe and motivating learning environment, lists among the duties of schools and community learning centers to “Capacitate personnel through LAC and INSET sessions”. It gives the School Governance and Operations Division of each schools division office the duty to “Facilitate LRP discussions through In-Service Training (INSET)/ Learning Action Cell (LAC) sessions”. LRP stands for learner rights protection: concerns such as bullying and gender-based violence.
  • EDCOM II. Its final report recommends that “NEAP and school LAC sessions should integrate practical modules on de-escalation, class meetings, peer mediation, and supportive homeroom guidance, with targeted assistance for schools that report high bullying or absenteeism” (EDCOM II, 2026, p. 201). At one school, Batino Elementary School, the Commission found that “LAC sessions focus more on classroom management improvisations than systematic socioemotional learning” (p. 172). That is one school’s case, but it illustrates the kind of gap the recommendation addresses.

DO 35 has teachers set LAC content “through needs assessment”, and it adds that sessions must take up urgent school issues, including “school data such as school participation, attendance, completion and assessment, child-finding activities”. A school already has two sources of such data. One is the Child-Friendly School Survey in Annex 2A of the SIP Guidebook enclosed with DepEd Order No. 44, s. 2015; its result is reported in the School Report Card. The other is the school-based child protection and anti-bullying checklist that follows it. The survey’s unchecked items, read with the root causes that the SIP project teams find, can point to LAC topics, as in the table below. The Child-Friendly School Survey guide explains how to answer and score the survey, and the child protection guide covers the current rules on bullying and learner protection.

Survey goal with unchecked items A possible LAC focus (ours)
Goal 1: Encourage children’s participation in school and community Class meetings and learners’ voice in classroom decisions
Goal 2: Enhance children’s health and well-being Recognizing learners in distress and the school’s referral steps
Goal 3: Guarantee safe and protective spaces for children Positive discipline and de-escalation; what to do when a learner reports bullying
Goal 4: Encourage enrollment and completion Following up learners who are often absent or at risk of dropping out
Goal 5: Ensure children’s high academic achievement and success Reteaching from classroom assessment results
Goal 6: Raise teachers’ morale and motivation Peer observation and sharing teaching techniques
Goal 7: Mobilize community support for education Talking with parents about their child’s learning progress

How to run a LAC session: before, during and after

DO 35 describes the LAC process in three stages. The school head has a part in each.

Before the session: the ten planning steps

Before sessions start, the members identify needs and priorities “guided by the LAC Leader and LAC Facilitator”. They record them in a LAC plan, which also says how the LAC will be monitored.

Step in DO 35 What it involves What the school head does
1. Assessment of needs Needs measured against the teacher standards for each career stage Shares observation findings and learner data; uses the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST) of DO 42, s. 2017 as the reference
2. Prioritization of topics Ranking by urgency, time needed, interest or another agreed basis Guides the ranking but does not impose topics
3. Formation of the LAC Groups of 5 to 15; every teacher included Sets groups and facilitators at the start of the year
4. Choice of interventions Materials, equipment, strategies, teaching modality or programs Checks what the school already has
5. Scheduling Members decide schedule, length and frequency Protects the time in the Instructional Block
6. Setting up resources Resource persons, supplies, worksheets, videos, equipment, budget, food and venues Leads in finding resources and keeping them available
7. Assignment of work Roles for members, which may rotate Approves the rotation
8. Norms Rules the group commits to Asks the group to set them at the first session
9. Line-item budget School MOOE and external grants; MOOE-allowable expenses only Puts the budget in the AIP
10. Writing the LAC plan The Annex 1 template, which schools may modify Leads the drafting and links the plan to the SIP or AIP

During the session: stimulus, discussion, action planning

DO 35 says a session can include a stimulus “followed by collaborative discussion of possible ways forward”. Its examples of stimulus are lectures, practicum, orientation, coaching, workshops, and developing and using instructional materials. The session ends with “individual and group action planning in order to implement agreed activities in the classroom”.

Each part has a job. The stimulus gives the group something specific to work on, such as a demonstration or samples of learner work. The discussion turns that input into choices for each member’s class. The action plan says who will try what, in which lesson, and what evidence each teacher will bring back. Keep the stimulus short so that most of the time goes to the teachers’ own work.

After the session: classroom application and class observation

Members are expected to apply the agreed strategies in class, evaluate them and report back at later sessions. Facilitators and leaders monitor this work. DO 35 adds that school heads “should support the LACs by doing class observations”.

Plan these observations with the members, since Annex 2 asks the leader to agree with them “on how to observe or monitor application of learning”. The short, non-rated walkthroughs that DO 016, s. 2026 encourages fit this purpose. Keep them separate from the rated observations of the Performance Management and Evaluation System (PMES) for teachers. The guide to instructional supervision explains walkthroughs and feedback. At the next session, share patterns across classes, not judgments of individual teachers.

LAC norms: the six elements to agree on

DO 35 calls norms “the framework from which team members commit to conduct business”. It lists six elements, each with questions the group answers together.

Element Question in DO 35 (in brief) Sample norm (ours)
Time and venue Where and when will we meet? Will we start on time? We meet on the first and third Thursday of each month at 3:30 p.m. in the Grade 5 room and start on time.
Listening How will we listen and discourage interruptions? One person speaks at a time; phones stay silent.
Confidentiality What stays in the room, and what can be shared? Names of learners and stories about colleagues stay in the room. Strategies may be shared.
Decision making How will we decide, and what if not everyone agrees? We decide by consensus. If we cannot agree, we try the option most members prefer for one month.
Participation Is attendance optional? What if a member keeps missing sessions? Attendance is expected. A member who misses a session reads the minutes and tells the facilitator their action plan.
Expectations What do we expect of members, and how do we make sure each comes prepared? Each member brings the agreed evidence, such as learner work or a lesson plan.

Review the norms at the start of each term and when a new member joins.

How often LAC sessions are held and when to schedule them

DO 35 lets members decide the schedule, length and frequency. It then sets a recommendation and a minimum: “One to two hours a week is strongly recommended”, but sessions “should be conducted at least once a month”. The order accepts that teaching conditions may not always allow weekly sessions.

Four rules shape the schedule today.

  1. Hold sessions inside the Instructional Block, outside class time. DO 009, s. 2026 keeps LAC sessions in the Instructional Block, which it dedicates to teaching and learning with few non-academic disruptions.
  2. Hold sessions inside the workday. DO 005, s. 2024 sets six hours of actual classroom teaching and two hours of ancillary tasks a day, and LAC attendance is an ancillary task. DO 005 grants vacation service credits for some ancillary work beyond regular hours, such as home visits, but does not list LAC attendance. The guide to teachers’ ancillary hours lists all 13 ancillary tasks and the rules for doing them outside school.
  3. Keep administrative meetings separate. DO 35 encourages schools “to prioritize LAC sessions instead of administrative meetings, which should be scheduled separately from LAC sessions”.
  4. Use ICT when distance makes meetings hard. This applies mostly to clustered schools.

A practical pattern is a session of 60 to 90 minutes every week or every two weeks after classes, on a day without ARAL Program sessions for the members. The two daily ancillary hours also cover lesson preparation and checking of learners’ work. Plan a schedule teachers can keep.

Funding LAC sessions from MOOE

DO 35 calls LACs “the most cost-effective CPD process” but notes possible “expenses for meetings and handouts”. Funds may come from the school’s MOOE, “subject to its utilization guidelines”. The line-item budget may include “only expenses allowed under the school MOOE”, subject to accounting rules.

The MOOE guidelines in force are in DO 8, s. 2019. Its first listed use is “activities as identified in the approved School Improvement Plan (SIP)” and specified in the AIP. It also covers supplies and consumables “for teachers and students deemed necessary in the conduct of classes and learning activities”. It bars MOOE for textbooks and for supplementary learning resources such as “publications, periodicals and review materials”.

  1. Put the LAC in the AIP. A LAC activity outside the approved SIP and AIP is hard to charge to MOOE.
  2. Budget for supplies and printing first. Bond paper, printed handouts and worksheets, and manila paper and markers are the usual costs.
  3. Check other items before buying. DO 35 lists food among a session’s possible resources. Whether a meal can be paid from MOOE depends on DO 8 and accounting rules, so ask the SDO’s finance or accounting staff first.

The series guide to school MOOE covers cash advances and liquidation.

The LAC plan and the School Improvement Plan

Annex 1 of DO 35 gives a one-page LAC plan template. Its rows are the three phases: Planning, Implementation and Evaluation. Its columns are Activities, Persons Involved, Time Frame, Resources (Funds and Source of Funds), and Success Indicators. Schools may modify it.

The plan “should be integrated or linked with the School Improvement Plan (SIP) or Annual Implementation Plan (AIP)”. Annex 2 makes this the leader’s job. The link does three things:

  • It ties the LAC’s focus to a priority improvement area the school already chose, such as reading or attendance.
  • It makes LAC costs chargeable to MOOE, since MOOE funds SIP and AIP activities.
  • It meets the SDO’s duty under DO 35 to ensure “LAC plans across all the learning areas and key stages”.

The series guide to the school improvement plan explains the SIP and AIP.

Sample one-month LAC plan (ours)

The school is a public elementary school with 30 teachers and three LACs. The Key Stage 2 LAC has 12 Grade 4 to 6 teachers and a master teacher as facilitator. First-term tests showed that many learners could not explain their answers in Mathematics and Science, and walkthroughs showed few checks for understanding. The members chose one focus for the month: checking for understanding during lessons, in line with the formative assessment rules of DO 015, s. 2026.

Phase Activities Persons involved Time frame Funds (sample) Source of funds Success indicators
Planning Review item analysis and walkthrough notes; agree on the focus; review norms; write session plans School head, facilitator, 12 members Week before the month starts None None Focus recorded; three session plans ready
Implementation Session 1: a member demonstrates three ways to check understanding mid-lesson; each teacher plans to try one Facilitator; member as resource person; documenter Week 1, 90 minutes PHP 600 for printing and supplies School MOOE (AIP item) 12 individual action plans
Implementation Classroom try-out; short non-rated walkthroughs on the agreed technique Members; school head; master teacher Weeks 1 and 2 None None Each teacher uses the technique in at least two lessons
Implementation Session 2: report back with learner work; co-plan next week’s lessons Facilitator; all members Week 3, 90 minutes PHP 400 for manila paper and markers School MOOE (AIP item) Revised lesson plans include planned checks
Evaluation Session 3: review evidence against the plan; reflect; choose the next focus; draft the progress report School head, facilitator, documenter, members Week 4, 60 minutes None None Reflections name changed practice; report sent to the district

The amounts are examples only. Each school sets its own in its AIP.

Sample 90-minute LAC session flow (ours)

This flow fits Session 2 of the plan above. It follows DO 35’s order of stimulus, discussion and action planning, with a report back at the start.

Time Part What happens Who leads
0 to 5 min Opening Attendance, the session objective and a reminder of the norms Facilitator; documenter
5 to 25 min Report back Each pair shows one sample of learner work from a lesson with a check for understanding, and says what they changed after the check Members
25 to 40 min Stimulus Two learner answers to the same question; the group discusses what each reveals about understanding Facilitator or resource person
40 to 65 min Collaborative discussion Grade-level pairs add two planned checks, and a response for learners who do not yet understand, to next week’s lesson plans Members; facilitator moves between pairs
65 to 80 min Action planning Each teacher writes the lesson, the technique and the evidence to bring; the group agrees what walkthroughs will look for Members; school head
80 to 90 min Closing The documenter reads the agreements and the next date; each member writes one thing they will do differently Documenter; facilitator

Adult learning principles for LAC facilitators

LAC members are adults and professionals, so a session should not run like a class of children. Malcolm Knowles, an American adult educator, used the term andragogy for the practice of helping adults learn. His books, including Andragogy in Action (1984) and The Adult Learner (later editions with Elwood Holton and Richard Swanson), describe how adults learn. The table puts six of his principles in our own words.

Knowles’s principle (our summary) What the LAC facilitator does
Adults want to know why they should learn something Open with the learner data or classroom problem that led to the topic
Adults see themselves as responsible for their own decisions Let members choose the focus and write their own action plans
Adults bring experience, which is a resource for learning Use members’ own lessons, learner work and mistakes as the material
Adults are ready to learn what helps them with a current task Time topics to the calendar, such as assessment before term tests
Adults learn best around problems, not subjects Frame each session around a problem in the school, not a lecture on theory
Adults respond more to internal reasons than to outside pressure Let teachers see changes in their learners; do not rely on warnings about attendance

These principles match DO 35’s own emphasis on “self-directed learning” and reflective practice. A facilitator who lectures for most of a session works against both.

Documentation, records and reporting

DO 35 says the proceedings of each meeting “should be recorded”. The minutes should include:

  • attendance and topics discussed
  • best practices shared
  • current or emerging needs and concerns, sent to the LAC leader at once
  • evidence of whether the plan is working
  • next courses of action

The documenter role rotates. The group agrees on what stays confidential, who keeps the files, where, and who may see them. DO 35 also asks each member to keep a portfolio of LAC work, such as notes, logs and reflective journals.

Keep the records light. DO 016, s. 2026 says increased instructional support “shall not result in additional documentation requirements, expanded templates, or unnecessary administrative burden”. For the PMES, DM 089, s. 2025 states that “Submission of physical portfolio is not required”. One folder for each LAC, paper or digital, can hold the plan, minutes and evidence, and teachers can reuse that evidence in their performance reviews.

The LAC leader submits progress reports to the district and SDO. DO 35 named the October INSET as a good venue for sharing LAC experience. Under the three-term calendar, INSET falls in the End-of-Term Block, so the end-of-term professional development days can serve that purpose now.

Monitoring LAC effectiveness: the three indicators

DO 35 asks for ongoing monitoring with both qualitative and quantitative methods. Its core principle is a warning. Evaluators “should not seek to establish overly simplistic correlation between LAC activity and changes in student performance”. Schools need time to build effective LACs, and gains in teacher quality “cannot be easily quantified”.

DO 35 instead names three key indicators of effectiveness.

Indicator in DO 35 Evidence a school head can collect (ours)
“critical reflection amongst teachers leading to changes in classroom practice” Reflection notes that name a change, then a lesson plan or walkthrough note that shows it
“increased understanding and knowledge of the curriculum” Teachers explain how a competency is assessed; lesson plans align objectives, tasks and checks
“changes in teachers’ pedagogy or practices which are aimed at improving learners’ participation and achievement in school” Walkthrough notes show the new strategy in use; learner work shows more complete answers

Members assess three things: development in teacher quality, impact on students’ performance, and how well the strategies worked. Methods include self-monitoring, peer observation, observation by a supervisor or coach, and review of the team. The team norms also serve as a basis for monitoring attendance and teamwork.

LAC records serve two newer systems as well. They are evidence for SBM indicator 31 under DO 007, s. 2024. They also feed the mid-year review of teachers under DM 089, s. 2025, explained in the series guide to the PMES for teachers.

What DO 35 does not allow, and common mistakes

DO 35 limits LAC sessions to its own purpose, the professional development of teachers. Sessions for other purposes are “prohibited”. The order’s examples are “sale of goods and other merchandise; lending transactions; political and religious meetings”.

Other mistakes are not named as prohibitions, but they defeat the purpose of the policy.

  1. Using the LAC for announcements and reports. Administrative meetings belong in a separate slot. Under DO 002, s. 2024, administrative tasks belong to school heads and non-teaching personnel.
  2. Choosing every topic for the teachers. The order lets teachers set the content from a needs assessment.
  3. Lecture-only sessions. A session without action planning gives teachers nothing to try in class.
  4. No follow-up in classrooms, or a follow-up that rates. Without observation, no one knows whether practice changed. If every visit is graded, teachers are less likely to try new strategies.
  5. Judging the LAC by one month of test scores. DO 35 warns against this directly.
  6. Promising CPD units without checking. Accreditation runs through the division under DM-OUHROD-2024-0410.

What the school head does: the LAC year step by step

This sequence puts the rules above in order: who acts, when, and with which document.

  1. Start of the school year: form the LACs. Group every teacher into a LAC of 5 to 15, or arrange a cluster with the district supervisor. Assign a facilitator for each, preferably a master teacher. Document: the list of LACs, members and facilitators.
  2. First weeks: assess needs. Members review their PPST self-assessments, observation results and learner data, then rank their needs. Document: a needs summary for each LAC.
  3. Write the LAC plan and budget. Lead each LAC in filling in the Annex 1 template, and enter its activities and costs in the AIP. Documents: the LAC plan and the AIP entry.
  4. First session: set the norms. Each LAC agrees on the six norm elements and its role rotation. Document: the norms sheet.
  5. Every week or month: hold sessions. Each session follows the facilitator’s session plan, within the Instructional Block and the workday. Documents: session plans and minutes.
  6. Between sessions: observe and give feedback. The school head and master teachers make short walkthroughs on the agreed strategies, then meet the facilitator to plan the next topic. Documents: walkthrough notes and the updated LAC plan.
  7. Each term: report and share. Submit LAC progress reports to the district and SDO, and share results during the end-of-term professional development days. Document: the progress report.
  8. Mid-year and year-end: evaluate. Members assess teacher quality, student performance and the strategies against the three indicators. The results shape next year’s needs assessment. Documents: the evaluation summary and the evidence for the PMES and the SBM self-assessment.

Learning action cells and the PPSSH

The PPSSH, adopted by DO 024, s. 2020, describes school heads at four career stages. Career Stage 1 describes aspiring school heads. The table gives the Career Stage 1 indicator for each strand that LAC work serves.

Strand Career Stage 1 indicator How LAC work shows it
4.5 Professional development of school personnel 4.5.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of professional development in enhancing strengths and in addressing performance gaps among school personnel. Building LAC topics from needs assessments; using members’ strengths as resource persons
4.2 Professional reflection and learning 4.2.1 Demonstrate understanding of how professional reflection and learning can be used in improving practice. Reflection that leads to a classroom change, DO 35’s first indicator of effectiveness
3.2 Teaching standards and pedagogies 3.2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of teaching standards and pedagogies within and across learning areas to provide technical assistance to teachers to improve their teaching practice. Choosing stimulus activities that model sound pedagogy; giving feedback after walkthroughs
3.3 Teacher performance feedback 3.3.1 Demonstrate understanding of the use of feedback obtained from learners, parents and other stakeholders to help teachers improve their performance. Using learner work and learner responses as the evidence teachers bring to report-back sessions
1.2 School planning and implementation 1.2.1 Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the phases of development and implementation of school plans aligned with institutional goals and policies. Linking the LAC plan to the SIP and AIP, with a budget charged to MOOE

The PPSSH Domain 4 guide and the PPSSH guide on the app list every indicator in these domains.

Practice: how the NASH may test this

Expect situational items in which a LAC is not working as intended. Other meetings may keep replacing sessions, a supervisor may ask for proof of results, or a new school head may have to plan the LACs. The options differ in whether they protect the LAC’s purpose, build on teachers’ needs, follow through in classrooms, and fit DepEd’s rules on time and funds. Weaker options fix one part, such as attendance, and leave the cause in place. For more items in this format, see the NASH practice questions with answers and the timed sets in the NASH Reviewer app.

Question 1

Indicator 4.5.2, Professional development of school personnel. Career Stage 2, Situational, Moderate.

You are the principal of a junior high school with 40 teachers in four LACs. In the last three months, two scheduled LAC sessions were replaced by meetings on division memos and report deadlines. The facilitators say teachers now treat LAC days as administrative meetings. What is the most appropriate action?

  • A. Keep holding the monthly LAC sessions as scheduled, and ask the facilitators to set aside the last twenty minutes of each one for memos and report deadlines.
  • B. Move the LAC sessions to Saturday mornings, so that weekday afternoons stay free for the administrative meetings that the division requires.
  • C. Protect the LAC schedule for professional learning, handle memos in a separate short meeting or written notice, and rebuild each LAC’s agenda from its needs assessment.
  • D. Issue a memo reminding teachers that LAC attendance is required, and that missed sessions will be noted in their performance reviews for the year.
Answer and explanation

Best answer: C. Points: A = 2, B = 0, C = 3, D = 1.

  • A (2 points, Multistructural). It restores the regular sessions, but it keeps administrative business inside them, which DO 35 says should be scheduled separately.
  • B (0 points, Prestructural). It moves professional learning outside the workday that DO 005, s. 2024 sets, and it gives administrative meetings priority over the LAC.
  • C (3 points, Relational). It removes the cause, keeps administrative matters apart, and gives the sessions a purpose that teachers chose from their own needs.
  • D (1 point, Unistructural). It addresses attendance only. Teachers would attend sessions that are still used for memos, so the problem remains.

Why. This aligns with Career Stage 2 expectations because indicator 4.5.2 asks the school head to implement professional development initiatives, not only to schedule them. DO 35, s. 2016 encourages schools to prioritize LAC sessions over administrative meetings, “which should be scheduled separately from LAC sessions”. DO 005, s. 2024 places LAC attendance within the teachers’ workday, and DO 009, s. 2026 keeps sessions in the Instructional Block. The best response protects the time and also restores the content, because a protected session with no real purpose would soon be used for other business again.

Indicator 4.5.2: Implement professional development initiatives to enhance strengths and address performance gaps among school personnel.

Sources: DepEd Order No. 35, s. 2016; DepEd Order No. 005, s. 2024; DepEd Order No. 009, s. 2026; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.

Question 2

Indicator 4.5.1, Professional development of school personnel. Career Stage 1, Situational, Moderate.

An elementary school’s Key Stage 2 LAC has worked on differentiated instruction for three months. The district supervisor visits and notes that the mean score in the latest term test has barely changed. She asks the school head what evidence shows that the LAC is working. What should the school head present?

  • A. Teachers’ revised lesson plans, walkthrough notes showing the new grouping strategies in use, and reflection logs, with a note that changes in practice come before changes in scores.
  • B. The attendance sheets and minutes of every LAC session held during the three months, to show that the sessions took place as the LAC plan scheduled.
  • C. An admission that the LAC has not worked, since the test mean did not rise, and a plan to replace differentiated instruction with a new topic next month.
  • D. The term test results by section beside the LAC minutes, together with a promise that the mean score will rise by the end of the school year.
Answer and explanation

Best answer: A. Points: A = 3, B = 1, C = 0, D = 2.

  • A (3 points, Relational). It presents evidence for DO 35’s indicators of effectiveness, changes in reflection and pedagogy, and explains why test scores are not the first measure.
  • B (1 point, Unistructural). Attendance records show that sessions happened. They do not show whether teaching changed.
  • C (0 points, Prestructural). It applies the “overly simplistic correlation” that DO 35 tells evaluators to avoid, and it drops a topic before the LAC has had time to work.
  • D (2 points, Multistructural). It brings data and records together, but it ties the LAC’s value to a quick score target, which is the wrong test.

Why. This aligns with Career Stage 1 expectations because indicator 4.5.1 asks the aspiring school head to understand how professional development addresses performance gaps. DO 35, s. 2016 notes that schools “will need to be given time to establish effective LACs”. Its key indicators are critical reflection that changes classroom practice, better knowledge of the curriculum, and changes in pedagogy aimed at learners’ participation and achievement. Learner results matter, but they follow changes in practice and do not replace them as evidence.

Indicator 4.5.1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of professional development in enhancing strengths and in addressing performance gaps among school personnel.

Sources: DepEd Order No. 35, s. 2016; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.

Question 3

Indicator 1.2.1, School planning and implementation. Career Stage 1, Conceptual, Easy.

A newly designated school head is preparing the school’s LAC plan for the coming year. The teachers’ needs assessment points to formative assessment in Grades 4 to 6. The sessions will need supplies and printed materials. Which approach to the LAC plan follows DepEd policy best?

  • A. Write the plan from the division’s list of suggested topics, so that the school’s LACs match what the other schools in the district are doing this year.
  • B. Prepare the plan alone during the school break so that teachers are not burdened, and fund the sessions through a small contribution from each teacher.
  • C. Draft the plan with the members from their needs assessment, and ask the division office for supplies whenever a session needs printed materials.
  • D. Draft the plan with the members from their needs assessment, link its activities to the SIP and the AIP, and include a line-item budget charged to school MOOE.
Answer and explanation

Best answer: D. Points: A = 1, B = 0, C = 2, D = 3.

  • A (1 point, Unistructural). Division topics may be useful, but the plan ignores the needs the teachers themselves identified.
  • B (0 points, Prestructural). It shuts the members out of planning and charges teachers for their own professional development, when DO 35 names school MOOE as the source.
  • C (2 points, Multistructural). It builds on the teachers’ needs, but it leaves the plan outside the SIP and AIP and has no budget the school can actually use.
  • D (3 points, Relational). It follows the DO 35 planning steps in full: needs-based topics, a plan linked to the SIP or AIP, and a line-item budget of MOOE-allowable costs.

Why. This aligns with Career Stage 1 expectations because indicator 1.2.1 asks the aspiring school head to understand how school plans are developed and carried out. DO 35, s. 2016 says the LAC plan “should be integrated or linked with the School Improvement Plan (SIP) or Annual Implementation Plan (AIP)”. DO 8, s. 2019 lets MOOE fund activities identified in the approved SIP and the AIP. A plan that is not linked to them is hard to fund, however good its topics.

Indicator 1.2.1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the phases of development and implementation of school plans aligned with institutional goals and policies.

Sources: DepEd Order No. 35, s. 2016; DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2019; DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020.

Frequently asked questions

What is a learning action cell (LAC) in DepEd?

A learning action cell (LAC) is a group of 5 to 15 teachers who meet regularly to solve shared teaching problems. The school head or a designated LAC leader facilitates it. DO 35, s. 2016 made it DepEd’s school-based continuing professional development strategy. Every teacher must belong to one.

How often should LAC sessions be held in DepEd?

LAC sessions should be held at least once a month, and DO 35, s. 2016 strongly recommends one to two hours a week. DO 009, s. 2026 keeps the sessions within the Instructional Block of each term. It also says that specific guidelines on LAC scheduling will come in a later issuance.

Who is the LAC leader, and who facilitates LAC sessions?

The LAC leader is the principal or school head, who leads all the LACs in the school. The facilitator may be the school head, a master teacher or a senior teacher, and the role may rotate. DO 35 prefers a master teacher or senior teacher as each LAC’s assigned facilitator.

Can LAC sessions be funded from school MOOE?

Yes. DO 35, s. 2016 allows LAC funds from school MOOE, subject to MOOE guidelines, with a line-item budget of MOOE-allowable expenses only. Under DO 8, s. 2019, MOOE funds activities in the approved SIP and AIP, so the LAC plan should be linked to them.

Do LAC sessions earn CPD units for teachers?

Whether a LAC earns CPD units depends on PRC accreditation, which DepEd processes at the division level. The Continuing Professional Development Act of 2016 (Republic Act No. 10912) defines a CPD program as “a set of learning activities accredited by the CPD Council”. DM-OUHROD-2024-0410 says school-level LACs shall be processed for PRC accreditation at the division level. Ask your SDO whether your school’s LAC program has gone through that process.

Can LAC sessions cover child protection and the child-friendly school survey?

Yes. DepEd Order No. 006, s. 2026 lists capacitating personnel “through LAC and INSET sessions” among the duties of schools on learner protection. DO 35 lets teachers choose LAC topics “through needs assessment” and asks sessions to discuss school data. The Child-Friendly School Survey in Annex 2A of DO 44, s. 2015 provides such data, and DO 44 asks every public school to accomplish it for its School Report Card.

More on school leadership

This post is part of a series on what a school head does under the DepEd rules in force today. The other posts, in reading order:

Sources

Written by Mark Anthony Llego for NASH Reviewer. Sources: DepEd Order No. 35, s. 2016; DepEd Orders No. 006, 009, 015 and 016, s. 2026; DepEd Orders No. 002, 005, 007 and 010, s. 2024; DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2019; DepEd Orders No. 36, s. 2013 and No. 44, s. 2015; DepEd Memorandum No. 089, s. 2025; DM-OUHROD-2024-0410; DepEd Orders No. 42, s. 2017 and 024, s. 2020 and the PPSSH; Republic Act No. 10912; EDCOM II (2026); Knowles, Andragogy in Action (1984) and The Adult Learner.