# Building Evidence of School Leadership Readiness

What DepEd counts for School Principal I: MOVs, the IPCRF or OPCRF, the NASH WAP and WAAR. How to document real work honestly and protect learners' data.

This is the Markdown copy of [Building Evidence of School Leadership Readiness](https://nash.com.ph/blog/school-leadership-readiness-evidence), an article on the NASH Reviewer Blog by Mark Anthony Llego, published Nov 6, 2026. Topics: Aspiring school heads. NASH Reviewer is an independent practice platform not affiliated with DepEd, BHROD, or NEAP.

DepEd's rules for selecting and developing school heads prescribe no leadership portfolio. They name specific records, signed by specific people. When a School Principal I position is filled, by reclassification under Enclosure No. 3 to [DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/08/28/august-28-2025-do-024-s-2025-guidelines-on-the-implementation-of-the-expanded-career-progression-system-for-teachers-and-school-heads-in-the-department-of-education/) or by natural vacancy under Enclosure No. 3 to [DepEd Order No. 007, s. 2023](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2023/03/23/march-22-2023-do-007-s-2023-guidelines-on-recruitment-selection-and-appointment-in-the-department-of-education/), the division's Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board (HRMPSB) scores each applicant out of 100 points. Thirty come from documents called means of verification (MOVs), such as an approved action plan, a verified accomplishment report and a certification that the work was used, all "acquired after the last promotion" (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Secs. 31–37). Twenty-five come from a performance rating of at least Very Satisfactory (Sec. 34).

For a taker of the National Assessment for School Heads (NASH) whose result is With Developmental Areas, the record that opens candidacy is different: a completed Professional Development Intervention (PDI) and a Work Application Plan (WAP; "Workplace Application Plan" in NEAP's guidelines) "duly certified by the Schools Division Superintendent (SDS)" ([DepEd Memorandum No. 044, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/07/04/july-4-2026-dm-044-s-2026-results-of-the-national-assessment-for-school-heads-for-fiscal-year-2025-batch-2/), para. 5).

These records count only when they are true and when they keep other people's information safe. Every applicant signs a sworn statement and is responsible for "the completeness, authenticity, and veracity of the documents submitted"; a false document "shall be grounds for disqualification" and for administrative or criminal cases (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 9). Information about a learner's education or health is sensitive personal information under the Data Privacy Act of 2012, [Republic Act No. 10173](https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2012/08/15/republic-act-no-10173/) (Sec. 3(l)). The rules below are those in force on November 6, 2026.

## Key findings

- **One scoring system, two routes.** Reclassification and natural vacancy score School Principal applicants on the same 100 points; 30 rest entirely on MOVs (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 32; DO 007, s. 2023, Encl. No. 3, item 2).
- **The MOVs are named and signed.** Full points for Application of Education need an action plan, an accomplishment report and a certification of utilization, each approved, verified or signed by the Head of Office (Sec. 36). DO 024 defines the Head of Office for schools as the Schools Division Superintendent (Encl. No. 1, Sec. 14(o)).
- **A missing MOV keeps you in the pool but scores nothing.** Applicants without the additional documents stay among the official applicants (Encl. No. 3, Sec. 7), but DO 024's example gives an award no points: "Not credited due to non-submission of required MOVs" (Sec. 35).
- **Teachers' performance evidence is shown, not collected.** Under the Performance Management and Evaluation System (PMES), "No portfolio for performance assessments shall be collected" ([DepEd Memorandum No. 089, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/10/01/october-1-2025-dm-089-s-2025-guidelines-on-the-multi-year-performance-management-and-evaluation-system-for-teachers-from-school-years-2025-2026-to-2027-2028/), item 60); teachers are encouraged to keep "a personal record of accomplishments" (item 68).
- **A target cannot be lowered after the fact.** The school head's Office Performance Commitment and Review Form (OPCRF) allows only "a one-time calibration" of targets at mid-year, in exceptional cases, and rates results against the committed or calibrated targets (Memorandum DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, Annex B, paras. 22–26, transmitted by [DepEd Region VIII Regional Memorandum No. 391, s. 2024](https://region8.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RM-s2024-391.pdf)).
- **Learners' data are shared only on a need-to-know basis.** Enrollment data are open only to authorized personnel "on a need-to-know basis" and may not reach "social media accounts of the school, teachers, officials" without explicit consent ([DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/06/13/june-13-2025-do-017-s-2025-revised-basic-education-enrollment-policy/), Secs. X.B–X.C). In data and research work, putting personal information into AI systems is "categorically prohibited" ([DepEd Order No. 003, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/02/20/february-20-2026-do-003-s-2026-foundational-guidelines-on-artificial-intelligence-ai-in-basic-education/), Sec. VI.1.3).

## What DepEd counts when it selects a School Principal I

A School Principal I position is filled by natural vacancy, when a principal item is vacant, or by reclassification of the position the applicant holds (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 22). Natural vacancies follow Enclosure No. 3 to DO 007, s. 2023, as amended by [DepEd Order No. 021, s. 2024](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2024/12/23/december-23-2024-do-021-s-2024-amendments-to-deped-order-no-007-s-2023-guidelines-on-recruitment-selection-and-appointment-in-the-department-of-education/). Reclassification follows Enclosure No. 3 to DO 024, s. 2025, as amended by [DepEd Order No. 034, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/10/14/october-14-2025-do-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-s/). Which route is open depends on the position you hold; [School Principal I to IV: Promotion Under the ECP](https://nash.com.ph/blog/school-principal-reclassification-ecp) sets out who may be reclassified.

Before any scoring, the Human Resource Management Officer (HRMO) checks the qualification standards in [DepEd Order No. 019, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/06/24/june-24-2025-do-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-t/) and whether you passed the DepEd-administered school head assessment (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Secs. 12–13). The School Principal I standard includes "1 year relevant experience in any of the following: learning area coordination, subject area supervision, school management and operations, instructional supervision" (DO 019, s. 2025), certified by the HRMO, your immediate supervisor or another authorized official (DO 034, s. 2025, para. 13); see [NASH Qualification Standards for School Principal I: FAQ](https://nash.com.ph/blog/nash-qualification-standards-faq).

Qualified applicants are then scored on eight criteria:

| Criterion | Points | The record the board scores | Section |
|---|---:|---|---|
| Education | 10 | Transcript and diploma; only units above the qualification standards score | 6.e, 33 |
| Training | 10 | Training certificates; hours above the standards, "acquired after the last promotion but within the last five (5) years" | 6.g, 31.b, 33 |
| Experience | 10 | Service record and Work Experience Sheet; only experience above the standards scores | 6.b, 6.f, 33 |
| Performance | 25 | The Individual Performance Commitment and Review Form (IPCRF) or the OPCRF, at least Very Satisfactory in the last rating period | 6.j, 34 |
| Outstanding Accomplishments | 10 | MOVs for awards, research, national working groups, speakership and accreditation by the National Educators Academy of the Philippines (NEAP) | 35 |
| Application of Education | 10 | Action plan, accomplishment report and certification of utilization | 36 |
| Application of Learning and Development | 10 | A training certificate aligned with your Individual Development Plan (IDP), plus an approved plan, a report and a certification | 37 |
| Potential | 15 | For School Principal I, your National Qualifying Examination for School Heads (NQESH, now the NASH) or similar DepEd examination score (10), and the Behavioral Events Interview (BEI) (5) | 38 |

*Sections are DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3. DO 007, s. 2023, Encl. No. 3 sets the same weights for natural vacancies (item 2, Table 1) and the same MOVs (items 5–7).*

How each criterion is computed is in [ECP Point System: How the HRMPSB Scores Applicants](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ecp-point-system-hrmpsb-scoring).

### Mandatory documents and the documents that score

Section 6 of Enclosure No. 3 lists the application documents, items a to l. Items a to k are mandatory, from the letter of intent and Personal Data Sheet to the Certificate of Rating, the performance rating and the Omnibus Sworn Statement with its Data Privacy Consent Form (Annex C-2). An applicant who misses any of them by the deadline "shall not be included in the pool of official applicants" (Sec. 7).

Item l is different. It covers "Other documents as may be required by the HRMPSB", including MOVs for Outstanding Accomplishments, Application of Education and Application of Learning and Development "reckoned from the date of last issuance of appointment" (Sec. 6.l). Leaving them out "shall not warrant exclusion from the pool of official applicants" (Sec. 7), but a criterion without its MOVs earns nothing. In DO 024's own example, a Master Teacher I's school-level Outstanding Employee Award gets no points because the MOVs were not submitted (Sec. 35).

Timing matters too. The SDS issues the call "not later than June 30 of the current year" (Sec. 2), and "No additional documents shall be accepted after the set deadline" (Sec. 8). For fiscal year (FY) 2027, Annex A of Memorandum DM-OUHRODI-2026-2789 (August 5, 2026) places the call and the division's processing in January to June 2027. A certification still unsigned at the deadline cannot count.

### The MOVs, criterion by criterion

| Criterion or component | MOVs that DO 024 lists | Most points |
|---|---|---|
| Outstanding Employee Award | A document showing the criteria for the search; the certificate | 4 for a division-level search or higher; 2 below that |
| Award as trainer or coach | An issuance designating you as trainer or coach; a certificate as coach of a winning contestant | 3 for a national champion or highest placer, 2 regional, 1 division or provincial |
| Research and innovation | A. Proposal approved by the Head of Office or the Research Committee under [DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2017](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DO_s2017_016.pdf); B. accomplishment report verified by the Head of Office; C. certification of utilization; D. certification of adoption by another office; E. proof of citation | 4 for A–D or A–C and E; 3 for A–C; 2 for A–B; 1 for A |
| Subject matter expert or national technical working group | An issuance showing membership; a certificate; the output or its adoption | 3 for all; 2 for the first two |
| Resource speaker or learning facilitator, including learning action cell (LAC) sessions | An issuance, memorandum, invitation or training matrix; a certificate; the slide decks or session guides. "All listed MOVs shall be submitted" | 2 for division level or higher; 1 below that |
| NEAP-accredited learning facilitator | The certificate of recognition from NEAP | 2 national assessor, 1.5 national trainer, 1 regional trainer |
| Application of Education | A. Action plan approved by the Head of Office; B. accomplishment report verified by the Head of Office; C. certification of utilization or adoption signed by the Head of Office | 10 if relevant, 5 if not (all three); 7 or 3 (A and B); 5 or 1 (A only) |
| Application of Learning and Development | A. Certificate of training aligned with the IDP; B. action plan, re-entry action plan, job-embedded learning or impact project approved by the Head of Office; C. accomplishment report with a general certification that the office used the learning; D. the same for use by a different office | 10 if relevant, 5 if not (all four); 7 or 3 (A to C); 5 or 1 (A and B) |

*Source: DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Secs. 35–37. The Outstanding Accomplishments components can add up to 18 points (computed), but the criterion is capped at 10, and "only the highest award shall be given points" when awards come from different award-giving bodies (Sec. 35). For collaborative research, "the total points shall be divided by the number of authors/researchers indicated in the copyright page" (Sec. 35(b)).*

Two conditions decide whether a record scores at all, and a third decides how much:

- **It came after your last promotion.** Outstanding Accomplishments, Application of Education and Application of Learning and Development count only when "acquired after the last promotion" (Sec. 31.e–g). A Teacher III appointed in 2022 starts counting from that appointment.
- **It produced a result.** Outstanding accomplishments "must have led to positive results in their workplace" (Sec. 35), an application of education "must have led to significant positive results in the applicant's current or previous work" (Sec. 36), and an application of learning and development is "a proven success" (Sec. 37). A finished activity is not yet a result.
- **Relevance sets the points.** A relevant intervention is "directly applicable to the functional unit where the position applied for is lodged"; one that is not "shall be considered and be given corresponding points using the rubrics for Not Relevant" (Sec. 36). A relevant intervention earns the higher column (10, 7 or 5); one that is not relevant still earns 5, 3 or 1 (Secs. 36–37). A principal's functional unit is a school, though DO 024 gives no school example. Only national working group membership must be relevant to earn anything (Sec. 35(c)).

### Who signs: the Head of Office

The three MOVs for Application of Education, and the plan for Application of Learning and Development, are approved, verified or signed by "the Head of Office" (Secs. 36–37). DO 024 defines the term: "Head of Office refers to the highest authority within each governance level", and for "Schools Division Office, schools, and community learning centers" it names the Schools Division Superintendent (Encl. No. 1, Sec. 14(o)). DO 007, s. 2023 uses the same definition (Encl. No. 1, Sec. 8(t)). Read as written, a plan approved only by your school head may not satisfy MOV A, and DO 024 does not say whether a school head's signature is enough. Before the work starts, ask the HRMO in writing whose approval the HRMPSB will accept.

### Performance: your IPCRF or OPCRF

The 25 performance points use the PMES IPCRF or the school's OPCRF, "whichever is applicable", with at least Very Satisfactory required "in the last rating period prior to the date of assessment or screening" (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 34).

**If you are a teacher,** your rating comes from the PMES under DM 089, s. 2025. Teachers "promptly show or provide evidence", and "No portfolio for performance assessments shall be collected" (item 60); raters record feedback in the Performance Monitoring and Coaching Form (PMCF) (item 61). The PMES also produces your IDP (item 26), and MOV A for Application of Learning and Development is a training certificate "aligned with the Individual Development Plan (IDP)" (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 37). See [DepEd PMES for Teachers](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-pmes-teachers).

**If you are applying for a higher teaching position** on the way, such as Master Teacher I, DO 034, s. 2025 uses the MOVs already in your performance records of the last three rating periods (para. 25), which you annotate in the Portfolio Annotations Form and defend in a BEI (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 2, Sec. 38).

**If you already lead a school** as a teacher-in-charge, your rating is likely the OPCRF, whose MOVs are "official documents, reports or any outputs showing the actual results certified by authorized officials/personnel" (DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, Annex B, para. 12); see [OPCRF for DepEd School Heads in 2026](https://nash.com.ph/blog/opcrf-school-heads-deped).

### Potential: the written exam and the interview

For School Principal I, the written examination is worth 10 points and is based on "the applicant's score in the NQESH, Principal's Test, or a similar standardized examination administered by DepEd" (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 38.a). How a NASH score enters that formula is not settled; [School Principal I to IV](https://nash.com.ph/blog/school-principal-reclassification-ecp) explains the gap.

The BEI is worth 5 points for School Principal I. "BEI is based on the principle that past behavior predicts future performance", and it uses the STAR approach: "actual Situations in which the applicant acted; the Task/s that the applicant faced; the Actions that the applicant took; and the Results of those actions" (Sec. 38.b). A project record kept as the work happened lets you answer with real situations and numbers.

## What the NASH TDP and PDI ask you to show

Under DM 044, s. 2026, takers meeting the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads (PPSSH) in four or three domains are prospective candidates for entry-level School Principal positions; the three-domain group must join a Targeted Development Program (TDP) "within three months of appointment", and takers With Developmental Areas need the PDI and an SDS-certified WAP first (para. 5). Keep the Individual Certificate of Rating from the DepEd Learning Management System (para. 7); the Certificate of Rating is a mandatory application document (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 6.h).

NEAP runs both programs under DM-OULS-2026-397 (September 7, 2026), disseminated in [Schools Division of Zamboanga del Norte Division Memorandum No. 524, s. 2026](https://zn.deped.gov.ph/files/memos/2026/DM.No.524s.2026.pdf). One stated outcome is that participants "Demonstrate enhanced leadership competencies and readiness by applying and providing evidence of PPSSH-aligned practices in authentic workplace contexts" (para. 3(c)). In the PDI's third phase, participants carry out their WAP in their own school (Encl. No. 2, Sec. III.B).

The Workplace Application Accomplishment Report (WAAR) records that evidence: for each activity, Section VI asks for the MOVs, the "Evidence of Completion", a quality rating and the coach's signed observations (Encl. No. 9). The coach must "Review and certify the quality and completeness of participants' outputs prior to submission", the SDS must "Review, approve, and certify" the WAP and the WAAR, and participants must "Observe ethical standards, quality assurance measures, and professional conduct" (Encl. No. 2, Sec. VI). Both templates end with a declaration that the information is "true and correct to the best of my knowledge" (Encl. Nos. 8 and 9).

The WAP may serve you again. MOV B for Application of Learning and Development includes a "Job Embedded Learning (JEL)/ Impact Project applying the learnings from the L&D intervention done/attended, duly approved by the Head of Office" (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 37), and the SDS who approves the WAP is that Head of Office. No issuance says that a WAP and WAAR count as MOVs B and C, so keep them with the NEAP certificate and ask the HRMPSB how it will treat them. See [NASH Work Application Plan (WAP): A Guide With Example](https://nash.com.ph/blog/nash-work-application-plan) and [NASH TDP and PDI: Phases, Coaches and Certificates](https://nash.com.ph/blog/nash-tdp-pdi-guide).

## A personal learning record is not an official submission

A personal learning record is your own file of what you did, decided, heard and learned, in any form, drafts and doubts included. DepEd encourages one: DM 089 asks teachers "to engage in self-monitoring and maintain a personal record of accomplishments related to NCOIs" (item 68), the NCOIs being indicators rated from documents rather than observation, and the SY 2025-2026 guidance encouraged "an organized personal repository of documents, either physical or digital" ([DM-OSEC-OUHRODI-2026-0001](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/03/10/march-10-2026-memorandum-dm-osec-ouhrodi-2026-0001-guidance-in-the-implementation-of-the-performance-management-and-evaluation-system-for-teachers-for-sy-2025-2026/)).

An official submission is what a specific process prescribes, in its form, signed by the people it names. Submit what the call asks for (Sec. 6 asks for photocopies of several items), and remember that the sworn statement in Annex C-2 certifies them as "original and/or certified true copies thereof". Leave out reflections the form does not ask for, and learners' names.

A leadership portfolio for school heads remains a proposal: the SIKAP policy brief proposed "portfolio submissions evaluated by certified leadership assessors" (p. 36; see [SIKAP Study on Aspiring Principals](https://nash.com.ph/blog/sikap-aspiring-principals-study)), while the NASH TDP and PDI end with certificates and, for the PDI, the SDS-certified WAP and WAAR (DM-OULS-2026-397, Encl. No. 2, Secs. VI–VII). Enclosure No. 3 mentions "paper and portfolio evaluation" only among activities the HRMPSB may hold online (Sec. 25); what it scores for School Principal are the MOVs of Sections 35 to 37.

## How to document a project: role, decision, evidence, feedback, result, revision

No DepEd issuance prescribes a format for a personal project record. The seven parts below follow what the official records ask for: the BEI's STAR questions, the WAAR's sections and the application MOVs.

| Part | What to write | Where it is asked for officially |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The problem and its baseline | The condition, a count with its denominator, the period and the source record | WAP rationale ("current performance level"); "significant positive results" need a starting point (DO 024, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 36) |
| 2. Your role | Who authorized you, in what document, and what others did. Write analyzed, drafted or coordinated; leave approved, certified and rated to those who did them | STAR "Task"; see "Giving credit to co-workers" |
| 3. Your decision | The choice you made or recommended, the alternative you rejected, and why | STAR "Actions" |
| 4. The evidence | Which record supports which claim, its date, and where the original is kept | WAAR Section VI (MOVs); Secs. 35–37 MOVs |
| 5. Feedback | Who gave it, when, what they said, and what you changed | Coach's observations (WAAR Section VI); rater's feedback in the PMCF (DM 089, item 61) |
| 6. The result | The output (what was produced) apart from the outcome (what changed), with denominators, against the original target | STAR "Results"; WAAR Section V; OPCRF year-end assessment |
| 7. Revision | What you would keep, change or stop, and the next step | WAAR Section VIII ("Areas for Improvement") and Section IX ("What will you do differently in the future?") |

Write each entry when the event happens; a dated note outweighs a summary written months later.

### A worked example

The school, the people and the numbers below are invented to show how the parts fit together.

A Master Teacher I in a large junior high school is designated in writing by the school head as Grade 7 level coordinator. The development goal, from the teacher's NASH Individual Development Report, is PPSSH indicator 1.7.1: "Display knowledge and understanding of monitoring and evaluation processes and tools to promote learner achievement."

| Part | Entry |
|---|---|
| Problem and baseline | In Term 1, 46 of 412 Grade 7 learners (11.2%) were absent 10 days or more, from the advisers' attendance records |
| Role | Designated by the school head to coordinate the follow-up. The advisers make the home contacts and the guidance designate handles counseling cases |
| Decision | A monthly check of the existing attendance records instead of a new form, because the advisers already keep them. A list shared with the barangay was set aside until the school head could confirm what learner information may be shared |
| Evidence | The approved plan, dated before the work began; monthly summaries with counts only; the advisers' contact logs in the guidance office; minutes of two review meetings |
| Feedback | The mentor noted that the summary counted contacts but not whether attendance changed after them, so it was revised to track each learner's absences in the month after contact |
| Result | Target, agreed with the school head at the start: no more than 25 Grade 7 learners absent 10 days or more in Term 2. Actual: 31 of 405 (7.7%). Of the 46 followed learners, 3 transferred out, 24 fell below 10 absences and 19 did not. Twelve learners not on the list reached 10 absences in Term 2. Advisers reached 34 of the 43 followed learners still enrolled. The records show changes in attendance, not that the follow-up caused them |
| Revision | Start the monthly check in each term's first month, so new cases surface early, and agree on a contact schedule that fits the advisers' loads |

## How to report a project that missed its target

The example missed its target, and the record should say so; DepEd's forms expect it. The WAAR has a column for "Partially Complete", a section for challenges, and a field for "Aspects of the project, implementation, or results that did not go as planned or could be enhanced in the future" (DM-OULS-2026-397, Encl. No. 9, Sections VI–VIII). The OPCRF year-end assessment compares results with "the committed targets at the beginning of the performance cycle or the calibrated targets, if any, agreed during the mid-year review" (DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, Annex B, para. 26), and the PMES does the same for teachers (DM 089, item 72).

A target changes only by the system's own route. For the OPCRF, "In exceptional cases, and only if the situation warrants, a one-time calibration" is allowed at mid-year, for causes such as changed priorities or calamities (paras. 22–23). The Performance Calibration Form "must be discussed and agreed upon by the rater and the ratee and approved by the approving authority", and the calibrated targets "shall only be in effect upon approval of the concerned PMT", the Performance Management Team (para. 24). For a personal project, record the date, the reason and who agreed, and keep the original target.

Six habits keep the report honest:

1. **Keep the original target and its denominator.** Write 31 against a target of 25. *33% fewer chronically absent learners* rounds a true figure (46 to 31 is 32.6% fewer, computed) but compares different groups, hides the 12 new cases and omits the miss.
2. **Separate what did not happen from what is not known.** Nine followed learners were never contacted: that activity is "Partially Complete", a gap in delivery. A learner whose record is missing is unknown, not a failure.
3. **Give reasons the records support.** *Contacts fell behind in test weeks* needs the contact log behind it; a reason with no record is a hypothesis.
4. **Name who did the work.** The advisers made the contacts; write your part and theirs (see "Giving credit to co-workers" below).
5. **Never backdate.** A plan written after the work began and dated before it is a false document, and a false document brings disqualification and administrative or criminal cases (DO 024, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 9). See [DepEd Administrative Offenses and Penalties](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-administrative-offenses-penalties).
6. **Say what changed because of the miss.** The revision in Part 7 is what turns a shortfall into evidence of judgment.

A missed target does not erase a real gain: 24 learners did improve. Whether that amounts to "significant positive results" under Section 36 is the HRMPSB's judgment, and a certification of utilization should be signed only if the school did use the work.

## What evidence fits each PPSSH domain

The PPSSH, adopted through [DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2020/09/07/september-7-2020-do-024-s-2020-national-adoption-and-implementation-of-the-philippine-professional-standards-for-school-heads/), "shall be the foundation of relevant human resource systems, policies, guidelines and mechanisms, including the recruitment, selection and placement, performance appraisal, rewards and recognition and talent management of school heads" (para. 8). Career Stage 1 describes aspiring school heads; School Principals I and II are placed at Career Stage 2 (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 1, Sec. 22(b)). No issuance lists the evidence that fits each domain. The records an aspiring school head already produces usually do: your section of the [School Improvement Plan](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-school-improvement-plan) for Domain 1, a records system you set up for Domain 2, [LAC sessions](https://nash.com.ph/blog/deped-learning-action-cell) you facilitated for Domain 3, your IDP and development plan for Domain 4, and minutes of parent meetings you ran for Domain 5. One document filed under five domains is still one accomplishment. The domain guides ([Domain 1](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-1-leading-strategically), [Domain 2](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-2-managing-school-operations), [Domain 3](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-3-teaching-and-learning), [Domain 4](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-4-developing-self-and-others) and [Domain 5](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-5-building-connections)) give the Career Stage 1 indicators in full, and [From NASH Results to a PPSSH Development Plan](https://nash.com.ph/blog/nash-results-ppssh-development-plan) turns a NASH result into domain goals.

## Protecting learner and personnel data

### What the law and DepEd's orders require

RA 10173 protects information from which a person's identity can be ascertained, including information that "when put together with other information would directly and certainly identify an individual" (Sec. 3(g)). Information about an individual's "health, education" is sensitive personal information (Sec. 3(l)(2)), a definition that takes in learners' grades, test results and health records. Personal information must be "Adequate and not excessive in relation to the purposes for which they are collected and processed" (Sec. 11(d)), and employees hold it "under strict confidentiality" unless it is meant for public disclosure (Sec. 20(e)).

DepEd's orders apply these rules to particular records:

| Order | What it says |
|---|---|
| DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. X.B (enrollment data) | "Access to the collected data shall be limited to authorized personnel in schools / ALS CLCs, SDOs, ROs, and CO on a need-to-know basis." |
| DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. X.C (enrollment data) | Learners' personally identifiable information is not disclosed to the public, including "social media accounts of the school, teachers, officials", without the explicit consent of the learner and the parents or guardian, unless the law or the school's legitimate purposes require it |
| DO 003, s. 2026, Secs. VII.1.1 and VI.1.3 | Documents "that contain personally identifiable information shall not be uploaded, shared, or processed through AI platforms", except in internally governed DepEd systems "solely for approved research or operational purposes"; in data and research work, personal information in AI systems is "categorically prohibited" |
| [DepEd Order No. 007, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/03/25/march-25-2026-do-007-s-2026-media-management-guidelines/), Secs. II.1, II.4 and V.B.5.xiv(2) | For the official social media accounts of DepEd offices and "public schools", photos and videos need consent "evidenced by written, electronic, or recorded means". The order "does not address the personal use of social media" |
| DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Secs. 10, 16 and 29 | DepEd posts promotion results by application code, "concealing the applicants' personal information in accordance with the Data Privacy Act" |

The enrollment rows cover data collected "for specified, explicit, legitimate purposes of enrollment" (DO 017, s. 2025, Sec. X.A). For other records you use in a project, the Data Privacy Act itself sets the standard.

### Practices for your evidence files

DepEd's own results postings show codes and scores, not names. Hold your evidence to that standard.

- **Use counts, not names.** *24 of 43 learners* proves the result; a list of names adds nothing and exposes the learners, in a WAP or WAAR too.
- **Watch small groups.** In a multigrade class or a school of 60 learners, *the one Grade 4 learner with a disability* identifies a child without a name. Report such a group in a larger total, or leave it out.
- **Leave the originals where they belong.** Attendance records, class records and guidance notes stay in the school's files; your record says where each is kept.
- **Keep other people's ratings out.** A colleague's IPCRF rating or a teacher's observation results are personal information about that colleague. Report that you coached three teachers, not their scores.
- **Keep learner data out of AI tools.** A class list or a spreadsheet of learners' scores stays out of any AI platform (DO 003, s. 2026, Sec. VII.1.1).
- **Treat a photo as personal information.** A photo of an identifiable learner identifies that learner (RA 10173, Sec. 3(g)); see the FAQ below on posting one.

When a project collects data from learners, as action research does, the rules on consent, assent and confidentiality are in [DepEd Action Research Ethics: Consent, Assent and Privacy](https://nash.com.ph/blog/action-research-ethics-deped).

### Giving credit to co-workers

Most school projects are team work. Three rules and one good practice apply:

- **Name roles in shared work.** The PMES accepts "shared documentation with clearly indicated roles and evidence of contribution", such as "team lesson plans, school-based training programs, community projects, and classroom innovations" (DM 089, item 62).
- **Share research credit as DepEd does.** DO 024 divides research and innovation points among the authors named on the copyright page (see the note under the MOV table). List every author.
- **Declare AI help where the rules require it.** Personnel "are required to formally declare all AI tools employed in data processing using the prescribed declaration form in Annex A" (DO 003, s. 2026, Sec. VI.1.3), and teachers "shall explicitly indicate AI use in the preparation of lesson plans, instructional guides, teaching portfolios" and other teaching materials (Sec. VI.1.7.ii). For other outputs, disclosure is encouraged (Sec. VI.1.7).
- **Ask before you use a colleague's work.** No issuance requires it, but get permission before attaching a co-teacher's lesson plan or quoting a mentor's written feedback.

## What this means for school heads

A school head shapes what an aspiring teacher can show:

1. **Put designations in writing.** The MOVs for coaching awards, national working groups and resource speakership start with an issuance, memorandum or invitation naming the person (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 35).
2. **Get plans approved before the work starts.** The MOV is a plan approved by the Head of Office, who for schools is the SDS (Encl. No. 1, Sec. 14(o)). Review the plan, endorse it to the Schools Division Office before the work begins, and ask the HRMO in writing whose approval the HRMPSB will accept.
3. **Verify against the records.** Check an accomplishment report against the attendance sheets, minutes and data before signing or endorsing it.
4. **Give feedback in writing.** Raters record feedback in the PMCF (DM 089, item 61); a written comment on a draft is evidence of coaching.
5. **Protect the records.** Give an aspiring teacher the counts a project needs, not copies of learner files: personal information must be adequate and not excessive for its purpose (RA 10173, Sec. 11(d)).

| A school head may | A school head may not |
|---|---|
| Sign or endorse an accomplishment report that matches the records | Certify or endorse a utilization or adoption that did not happen (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 9) |
| Share aggregate learner data for an approved project | Post identifiable photos of learners on the school's official accounts without recorded consent (DO 007, s. 2026, Sec. V.B.5.xiv(2); RA 10173, Sec. 3(g)) |

This is PPSSH Career Stage 2 indicator 4.6.2: "Provide opportunities to individuals and teams in performing leadership roles and responsibilities" (see [PPSSH Domain 4](https://nash.com.ph/blog/ppssh-domain-4-developing-self-and-others) and [Mentoring Aspiring School Heads](https://nash.com.ph/blog/mentoring-aspiring-school-heads)).

**Records to keep:** appointments and designations; IPCRFs or OPCRFs; the IDP; the NASH Certificate of Rating; training certificates; each project's approved plan, verified report and certification; the WAP, WAAR and NEAP certificates; and your own dated project record.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need a leadership portfolio to apply for School Principal I?

No portfolio format is prescribed. The HRMPSB scores the mandatory documents and the MOVs (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Secs. 6 and 35–37), and may ask for other documents, "including but not limited to" those MOVs (Sec. 6.l). Submit what the division's call lists, by its deadline.

### Does a training certificate earn points for Application of Learning and Development?

Not by itself. The certificate is MOV A, and the rubric's lowest scoring row needs A and B: the certificate plus an action plan, re-entry plan, job-embedded learning or impact project approved by the Head of Office, worth 5 points if relevant and 1 if not (DO 024, s. 2025, Encl. No. 3, Sec. 37). The training hours may still count under the Training criterion (Sec. 33).

### Who signs my action plan and certification of utilization?

The Head of Office, whom DO 024 defines for schools as the Schools Division Superintendent; see [Who signs: the Head of Office](#who-signs-the-head-of-office).

### Can I post photos of my project with learners on Facebook?

Not on the school's official account without consent "evidenced by written, electronic, or recorded means" (DO 007, s. 2026, Sec. V.B.5.xiv(2)). That order "does not address the personal use of social media" (Sec. II.4), but a photo of an identifiable learner is personal information under RA 10173 (Sec. 3(g)), so get the same consent before posting it anywhere. For your evidence, counts and documents show more than photos do.

## Sources

**DepEd orders**

- [DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/08/28/august-28-2025-do-024-s-2025-guidelines-on-the-implementation-of-the-expanded-career-progression-system-for-teachers-and-school-heads-in-the-department-of-education/), Guidelines on the Implementation of the Expanded Career Progression System for Teachers and School Heads in the Department of Education, August 28, 2025: Encl. No. 1, Secs. 14(o) and 22; Encl. No. 2, Sec. 38; Encl. No. 3, Secs. 2, 6–10, 12–13, 16, 25, 29, 31–38 and Annex C-2.
- [DepEd Order No. 034, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/10/14/october-14-2025-do-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-s/), Amendments and Clarifications to DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025, October 14, 2025: paras. 13 and 25.
- [DepEd Order No. 007, s. 2023](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2023/03/23/march-22-2023-do-007-s-2023-guidelines-on-recruitment-selection-and-appointment-in-the-department-of-education/), Guidelines on Recruitment, Selection, and Appointment in the Department of Education, March 22, 2023: Encl. No. 1, Sec. 8(t); Encl. No. 3, items 1–8.
- [DepEd Order No. 021, s. 2024](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2024/12/23/december-23-2024-do-021-s-2024-amendments-to-deped-order-no-007-s-2023-guidelines-on-recruitment-selection-and-appointment-in-the-department-of-education/), Amendments to DepEd Order No. 007, s. 2023, December 23, 2024.
- [DepEd Order No. 019, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/06/24/june-24-2025-do-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-t/), Amended Qualification Standards for Teacher I-III, Master Teacher I-IV, and School Principal I-IV Positions, June 24, 2025 (CSC Resolution No. 2500471), School Principal I.
- [DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2020](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2020/09/07/september-7-2020-do-024-s-2020-national-adoption-and-implementation-of-the-philippine-professional-standards-for-school-heads/), National Adoption and Implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for School Heads, September 7, 2020: para. 8 and the Career Stage 1 and 2 indicators.
- [DepEd Order No. 017, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/06/13/june-13-2025-do-017-s-2025-revised-basic-education-enrollment-policy/), Revised Basic Education Enrollment Policy, June 13, 2025: Sec. X.A–C.
- [DepEd Order No. 003, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/02/20/february-20-2026-do-003-s-2026-foundational-guidelines-on-artificial-intelligence-ai-in-basic-education/), Foundational Guidelines on Artificial Intelligence in Basic Education, February 20, 2026: Secs. VI.1.3, VI.1.7 (including VI.1.7.ii) and VII.1.1, Annex A.
- [DepEd Order No. 007, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/03/25/march-25-2026-do-007-s-2026-media-management-guidelines/), Media Management Guidelines, March 25, 2026: Secs. II.1, II.4 and V.B.5.xiv.
- [DepEd Order No. 16, s. 2017](https://www.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/DO_s2017_016.pdf), Research Management Guidelines.

**DepEd memoranda**

- [DepEd Memorandum No. 089, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/10/01/october-1-2025-dm-089-s-2025-guidelines-on-the-multi-year-performance-management-and-evaluation-system-for-teachers-from-school-years-2025-2026-to-2027-2028/), Guidelines on the Multi-Year Performance Management and Evaluation System for Teachers from School Years 2025–2026 to 2027–2028, October 1, 2025: items 26, 60–62, 68 and 72.
- [Memorandum DM-OSEC-OUHRODI-2026-0001](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/03/10/march-10-2026-memorandum-dm-osec-ouhrodi-2026-0001-guidance-in-the-implementation-of-the-performance-management-and-evaluation-system-for-teachers-for-sy-2025-2026/), Guidance in the Implementation of the PMES for Teachers for SY 2025-2026, March 3, 2026.
- Memorandum DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, Interim Guidelines for the Office Performance Planning and Assessment for 2024 Onwards, March 27, 2024, Annex B, paras. 12 and 22–26; transmitted by DepEd Region VIII [Regional Memorandum No. 391, s. 2024](https://region8.deped.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/RM-s2024-391.pdf).
- [DepEd Memorandum No. 069, s. 2025](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2025/08/11/august-11-2025-dm-069-s-2025-administration-of-the-national-assessment-for-school-heads-for-fiscal-year-2025/), Administration of the National Assessment for School Heads for Fiscal Year 2025, August 11, 2025: para. 1.
- [DepEd Memorandum No. 044, s. 2026](https://www.deped.gov.ph/2026/07/04/july-4-2026-dm-044-s-2026-results-of-the-national-assessment-for-school-heads-for-fiscal-year-2025-batch-2/), Results of the National Assessment for School Heads for Fiscal Year 2025 (Batch 2), July 4, 2026: paras. 5 and 7.
- DM-OULS-2026-397, Guidelines on the Conduct of the National Assessment for School Heads (NASH) Targeted Development Program (TDP) and Professional Development Intervention (PDI), September 7, 2026: para. 3; Encl. No. 2, Secs. III.B, VI and VII; Encl. No. 8 (Workplace Application Plan) and No. 9 (Workplace Application Accomplishment Report). Disseminated in [Schools Division of Zamboanga del Norte Division Memorandum No. 524, s. 2026](https://zn.deped.gov.ph/files/memos/2026/DM.No.524s.2026.pdf).
- Memorandum DM-OUHRODI-2026-2789, Funding Strategies and Interim Policy Directions for the Continuous Implementation of the Expanded Career Progression (ECP) System, August 5, 2026, Annex A; in [DepEd's Career Progression Toolkit folder](https://tinyurl.com/CareerProgToolKit).

**Law**

- [Republic Act No. 10173](https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2012/08/15/republic-act-no-10173/), Data Privacy Act of 2012: Secs. 3(g), 3(l), 11 and 20(e).

**Report**

- Tan, A. D. Q., and Laylo, R. G. M. *Strengthening and Improving the Knowledge Advancement of Aspiring Principal (SIKAP) in the Philippines*. SEAMEO INNOTECH and Education Center for AI Research, 2025, p. 36. [PDF](https://e.cair.ph/assets/publications/sikap-policy-brief.pdf).

*Written by Mark Anthony Llego for NASH Reviewer. Sources: DepEd Orders No. 024, s. 2025, No. 034, s. 2025, No. 007, s. 2023, No. 021, s. 2024, No. 019, s. 2025, No. 024, s. 2020, No. 017, s. 2025, No. 003, s. 2026 and No. 007, s. 2026; DepEd Memoranda No. 089 and No. 069, s. 2025 and No. 044, s. 2026; Memoranda DM-OSEC-OUHRODI-2026-0001, DM-OUHROD-2024-0586, DM-OULS-2026-397 and DM-OUHRODI-2026-2789; Republic Act No. 10173; the SIKAP policy brief.*

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© 2026 Mark Anthony Llego, NASH Reviewer. All rights reserved. You may quote up to 100 words from this article with the author's name, its title and a link. In research, cite it as: Llego, M. A. (2026, November 6). *Building Evidence of School Leadership Readiness*. NASH Reviewer. https://nash.com.ph/blog/school-leadership-readiness-evidence. Any other reuse of the article, its charts or its data needs written permission: email support@nash.com.ph. Terms of Service: https://nash.com.ph/terms#website-content-and-data