# Reclassification to School Principal

This is the Markdown copy of [Reclassification to School Principal](https://nash.com.ph/principal-reclassification), published by NASH Reviewer, an independent practice platform not affiliated with DepEd, BHROD, or NEAP.

*Enclosure No. 3 to DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025*

DepEd now promotes teachers and school heads mainly by reclassification, which upgrades the position you already hold. This guide covers who can apply for School Principal I to IV, what to submit, how the 100 points are scored, what happens to your pay, and each step from application to appointment.

- **100**: Points in the comparative assessment
- **25**: Points for performance, the heaviest criterion
- **30**: Points scored only from evidence you submit
- **2028**: Year the Head Teacher and Assistant Principal paths close

## What reclassification is

A reclassification changes the title, salary grade, or level of a filled position. For teaching and school head positions, it follows the qualifications of the person who holds the item.

When you qualify and are selected, DepEd and DBM upgrade your own item instead of moving you to a vacant one. The order makes this the main route of promotion. Natural vacancies still fill newly created and vacated positions.

Selection stays competitive. Each year your division sets a number of slots from its budget and the staffing standard of one principal per school. The Human Resource Merit Promotion and Selection Board (HRMPSB) then ranks qualified applicants for those slots.

- **Reclassification**: The position you already hold is upgraded. Only incumbents of teaching and school head positions may use it, through the division’s yearly call under Enclosure No. 3.
- **Natural vacancy**: You apply for a position someone else vacated or a newly created one. Any qualified applicant, inside or outside DepEd, may apply under DO 007, s. 2023.
- **Retitling**: Your position takes a new title at the same salary grade, without an HRMPSB assessment. It covers titles the new system no longer uses, such as Head Teacher and Assistant School Principal.

### From application to appointment

One cycle under Enclosure No. 3. Each stage is explained below.

1. **Call for applications** (By June 30): The Schools Division Superintendent issues a memorandum with the slots, requirements, deadline, and schedule.
2. **You submit the RFSPP** (By the deadline): You file the Reclassification Form for School Principal Positions and your documents with the HRMO, through the Records Unit.
3. **Initial evaluation** (HRMO): The HRMO checks the qualification standards and the school head assessment, then posts who is Qualified and Disqualified.
4. **Comparative assessment** (10 or more days after the call): A special HRMPSB scores every qualified applicant out of 100 points in an open ranking.
5. **Results and allocation** (Within 7 days): The board posts the results and gives the Superintendent a ranked list and a Plantilla Allocation List of those the slots cover.
6. **Regional approval** (By the regional deadline): The division endorses its candidates. The Regional Office evaluates them, and the Regional Director approves the list.
7. **DBM action** (List due November 30): The DBM Regional Office processes the list and issues a Notice of Organization, Staffing and Classification Action (NOSCA).
8. **Appointment** (By March 30 the next year): The division issues your appointment papers and adjusts your salary.

## Who can apply

The Joint Circular lists which positions can be reclassified to each School Principal level. Paths from Head Teacher and Assistant School Principal positions are open only during the transition.

### School Principal I (SG 19, Career Stage II)

Reclassified from:

- Master Teacher I, SG 18
- Master Teacher II, SG 19
- Head Teacher I to V, SG 14–18, until February 24, 2028
- Head Teacher VI, SG 19, until February 24, 2028
- Assistant School Principal I, SG 18, until February 24, 2028
- Assistant School Principal II, SG 19, until February 24, 2028

### School Principal II (SG 20, Career Stage II)

Reclassified from:

- Master Teacher II, SG 19
- Master Teacher III, SG 20
- School Principal I, SG 19
- Assistant School Principal III, SG 20, until February 24, 2028

### School Principal III (SG 21, Career Stage III)

Reclassified from:

- Master Teacher II, SG 19
- Master Teacher III, SG 20
- Master Teacher IV, SG 21
- School Principal I, SG 19
- School Principal II, SG 20

### School Principal IV (SG 22, Career Stage IV)

Reclassified from:

- Master Teacher IV, SG 21
- Master Teacher V, SG 22
- School Principal III, SG 21

1. **Incumbents only**: Reclassification applies only to incumbents of teaching and school head positions. Other personnel enter the School Administration line through natural vacancies.
2. **No skipped career stages**: You progress through each PPSSH career stage. School Principal I and II are Career Stage II, III is Stage III, and IV is Stage IV.
3. **Three salary grades at most**: A promotion cannot go more than three salary grades above your present position unless a CSC exemption applies. The division then sends a justification to DBM and CSC.
4. **One principal item per school**: Each school with a School ID gets one School Principal item, whatever its level. A principal may be assigned to any elementary or secondary school in the division.

The Joint Circular lists Head Teacher I (SG 14) and II (SG 15) among the paths to School Principal I (SG 19), more than three grades up. Ask your HRMO whether a CSC exemption covers that move; the division then sends a quantum leap justification with its papers.

## What you must meet

Before any scoring, the HRMO checks three things. Miss any one and you are marked Disqualified.

- **Qualification standards**: Education, training, experience, and RA 1080 (Teacher) eligibility under DO 019, s. 2025. A competency requirement applies only once the CSC adds one to the standards.
- **School head assessment**: A pass in the NQESH, the Principal’s Test, or a later DepEd school head assessment such as the NASH. Your Certificate of Rating is the proof.
- **Performance rating**: At least Very Satisfactory in the last rating period, covering one complete period in your current position. It comes from your IPCRF or the school’s OPCRF, whichever applies.

### Qualification standards by level

DO 019, s. 2025, adopting CSC Resolution No. 2500471. Every level also requires RA 1080 (Teacher) eligibility.

#### School Principal I, salary grade 19

- **Education**: Master’s in Education, Educational Management, or Educational Leadership; or a master’s in a relevant learning area with at least 9 units in Management
- **Experience**: 5 years of teaching, plus 1 year in learning area coordination, subject area supervision, school management and operations, or instructional supervision
- **Training**: 32 hours in curriculum, pedagogy, school management and operations, or instructional leadership, within the last 5 years

#### School Principal II, salary grade 20

- **Education**: Master’s in Education, Educational Management, or Educational Leadership; or a master’s in a relevant learning area with at least 12 units in Management
- **Experience**: 5 years of teaching, plus 2 years in school management and operations
- **Training**: 32 hours in curriculum, pedagogy, school management and operations, or instructional leadership, within the last 5 years

#### School Principal III, salary grade 21

- **Education**: Master’s in Education, Educational Management, or Educational Leadership; or a master’s in a relevant learning area with at least 15 units in Management
- **Experience**: 5 years of teaching, plus 3 years in school management and operations
- **Training**: 40 hours in curriculum, pedagogy, school management and operations, or instructional leadership, within the last 5 years

#### School Principal IV, salary grade 22

- **Education**: Master’s in Education, Educational Management, or Educational Leadership; or a master’s in a relevant learning area with at least 18 units in Management
- **Experience**: 5 years of teaching, plus 4 years in school management and operations
- **Training**: 40 hours in curriculum, pedagogy, school management and operations, or instructional leadership, within the last 5 years

- **Principals appointed before the exam rule**: Appointments made before a DepEd examination was required stay valid. Those principals need not pass any school head examination to be reclassified to higher School Principal positions.
- **On official leave**: You may still be considered while on maternity leave, a scholarship, a training grant, or other CSC-authorized leave. The HRMPSB uses your rating from the last period before the leave.
- **Experience under the old standards**: Principals promoted before DO 019, s. 2025 count as meeting its 5 years of teaching. Their experience at promotion, such as 1 year as Head Teacher or 2 years as Teacher-in-Charge, is treated as equivalent.

The school head assessment is now the [National Assessment for School Heads (NASH)](https://nash.com.ph/nash), formerly the NQESH. Its domains come from the [PPSSH](https://nash.com.ph/ppssh), which also defines the career stages above.

## The call for applications

Each cycle opens with a memorandum from the Schools Division Superintendent, issued no later than June 30. Read it closely: it sets the slots, the deadline, and the schedule.

### What the memorandum contains

- Number of slots for each School Principal position
- Position title, salary grade, and monthly salary
- CSC-approved qualification standards
- Job description of the position
- Documents to submit and the deadline
- Schedule of application, assessment, and approval, including when evaluation results come out
- Protocols for any assessment done remotely
- The Equal Employment Opportunity clause

- **Where it is posted**: In at least three conspicuous places in the division office, schools, and community learning centers, and online on the division’s website and social media.
- **How slots are set**: The Superintendent sets the slots for each position on the HRMPSB’s recommendation, from the year’s budget allotment and the staffing standard for School Principal positions.
- **More than one call**: Further calls may follow within the same year if funds allow.

## What to submit

File the Reclassification Form for School Principal Positions (RFSPP) with the HRMO, through the Records Unit, by the deadline. Attach the documents below.

### Required: documents a to k

- a. **Letter of intent**: Addressed to the Schools Division Superintendent, stating your purpose and the position you are applying for
- b. **Personal Data Sheet**: CS Form 212, Revised 2025, with the Work Experience Sheet
- c. **PRC license or ID**: Photocopy, valid and updated
- d. **Certificate of Competency Level**: If applicable: only once the Teacher Education Council issues these
- e. **Academic records**: Special Orders, Transcript of Records, and diploma, including graduate units or degrees
- f. **Service record**: Photocopy, duly signed
- g. **Training certificates**: NEAP-accredited programs, or relevant specialized training, if any
- h. **Certificate of Rating**: In the NQESH, the Principal’s Test, or another DepEd school head assessment
- i. **Latest appointment**: Photocopy
- j. **Performance rating**: At least Very Satisfactory, covering one complete rating period in your current position before the deadline
- k. **Checklist and Omnibus Sworn Statement**: Certifies that your documents are authentic and gives data privacy consent, on the form in Annex C-2

### For scoring: l. Means of verification (MOVs)

Proof of outstanding accomplishments, application of education, and application of learning and development since your last appointment, plus anything else the HRMPSB asks for. Leaving these out does not exclude you, but the three evidence criteria, worth 30 points, are scored only from them.

- **Incomplete means excluded**: Missing any of documents a to k at the deadline keeps you out of the pool of official applicants. Missing MOVs does not, but those criteria then earn no points.
- **No late documents**: Nothing is accepted after the deadline in the memorandum.
- **Online copies allowed**: Electronic copies are accepted if they meet Section 7(a) of the Electronic Commerce Act (RA 8792). The HRMO may ask for hard copies to verify them.
- **You vouch for every page**: A false or fraudulent document disqualifies you and can lead to administrative or criminal cases.
- **An application code**: Each official applicant gets a code. Results are posted by code, so your name stays private.

## Initial evaluation

The HRMO checks each application against the qualification standards, then verifies the school head assessment, and sorts applicants into two lists.

- **Qualified (Q)**: Meets the qualification standards of the position and the school head assessment requirement. Goes on to the comparative assessment.
- **Disqualified (DQ)**: Misses the qualification standards, the school head assessment requirement, or both. The process ends here for this cycle.

- **Posted for transparency**: The Initial Evaluation Results go up in at least three conspicuous places. They show only application codes, qualifications, school head assessment, and the remark.
- **A written notice for everyone**: You hear by personal service, mail, courier, or the office’s official email or social media. Calls and text messages only accompany these. Qualified applicants get a Notice to Qualified Applicants; others get a Letter to Disqualified Applicants.
- **The HRMO answers for it**: The HRMO may consult the HRMPSB on hard cases, such as whether your training is relevant, but keeps full responsibility for the results and answers questions about them.

## The comparative assessment

A special HRMPSB for school principal positions scores qualified applicants in an open ranking. It meets no earlier than 10 calendar days after the date in the call.

### The special HRMPSB

- **Chairperson**: Assistant Schools Division Superintendent, who oversees the whole assessment
- **Members**:
  - Chief, School Governance and Operations Division
  - Chief, Curriculum Implementation Division
  - Administrative Officer V, Administrative Services Section
  - Administrative Officer IV (HRMO)
  - A representative of the accredited employees’ union or association for school heads
- **Quorum**: A majority of the board, with the Chairperson present

### What the board does

1. Convenes applicants as a group to witness the paper evaluation
2. Computes points for education, training, experience, and performance
3. Rates outstanding accomplishments, application of education, and application of learning and development
4. Runs other assessments as needed, such as a written examination, a Behavioral Events Interview, or a work sample test, to judge your potential and job, location, and organizational fit
5. Shows you your results on the RFSPP for your signature
6. Secures a Certificate of Availability of Funds from the Budget Officer
7. Submits the ranked results and the Plantilla Allocation List to the Superintendent

- **Open ranking**: Applicants witness the evaluation, and the scores of everyone present are disclosed. You may ask about your own results and acknowledge them there.
- **Signing your RFSPP**: Your signature confirms the process and your points were discussed with you. It does not stop you from filing a protest.
- **An unsigned RFSPP**: It does not delay the results. The board’s minutes stand as the record, and you are not a candidate until the issue is resolved.
- **Remote when needed**: If meeting in person is not feasible, the board may hold the evaluation, interview, and ranking online. You may then submit a scanned, signed RFSPP.

### Who may assess you

The Superintendent may name sub-committees to help the board. Their members come from assessors trained under the Career Progression Assessors Program, and the HRMPSB stays accountable for the results. Assessors of school head competencies must meet these criteria:

- **Experience**: At least 5 years as a School Principal of higher rank than the position applied for, or at least 3 years in a supervisory post such as EPS with school management experience. Has observed classes, given feedback, and rated or validated IPCRFs.
- **Performance**: At least Very Satisfactory for the past 3 years.
- **Training**: Trained to implement the PPST, PPSSH, PPSS, or related competency assessment, and the RPMS or PMES.
- **Knowledge**: Understands the professional standards and HR policies such as the Merit Selection Plan and the career progression policy, and works well in a pool of assessors.

## The 100-point system

The HRMPSB compares qualified applicants on eight criteria. Performance carries the most weight, and 30 points depend on evidence you submit.

| Criterion | Points | What earns them |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Education | 10 points | Relevant units and degrees above the standard |
| Training | 10 points | Relevant hours above the standard, after your last promotion and within 5 years |
| Experience | 10 points | Relevant experience above the standard |
| Performance | 25 points | Your latest one-year rating, at least Very Satisfactory |
| Outstanding accomplishments | 10 points | Recognized contributions since your last promotion |
| Application of education | 10 points | Results at work from your graduate studies |
| Application of learning and development | 10 points | Results at work from training you attended |
| Potential | 15 points | Written examination and Behavioral Events Interview |

Education, training, and experience earn points only when relevant to the position and above its standard. Training and the three evidence criteria count only what you earned after your last promotion.

## Education, training, and experience

Only what exceeds the qualification standard earns points. The board turns qualifications into levels, counts your levels above the standard, and reads the points from a rubric.

1. **Find the baseline**: The board places the position’s minimum standard on the increments tables. For School Principal I, a master’s degree is Level 21, 32 training hours Level 5, and 6 years of experience Level 13.
2. **Count your increments**: Your own qualifications get a level from the same tables. Each level above the baseline is one increment.
3. **Read the points**: Ten or more increments earn the full 10 points. Fewer than two earn none, so meeting the standard exactly scores zero.

### Increments to points

| Increments | Points |
| --- | --- |
| 10 or more increments | 10 points |
| 8 to 9 increments | 8 points |
| 6 to 7 increments | 6 points |
| 4 to 5 increments | 4 points |
| 2 to 3 increments | 2 points |
| Fewer than 2 increments | 0 points |

The same rubric applies to all three.

### Education levels

| Level | Qualification |
| --- | --- |
| Level 6 | Bachelor’s degree |
| Level 7–19 | 6 to 42 units toward a master’s, one level per 3 units |
| Level 20 | Complete academic requirements for a master’s |
| Level 21 | Master’s degree |
| Level 22–29 | 3 to 24 units toward a doctorate, one level per 3 units |
| Level 30 | Complete academic requirements for a doctorate |
| Level 31 | Doctorate |

### Training levels

Level 1 is under 8 hours. Each 8 hours adds a level, up to Level 31 at 240 hours or more.

### Experience levels

Level 1 is under 6 months. Each 6 months adds a level, up to Level 31 at 15 years or more.

### What earns the full 10 points

The baseline is the standard for the position; full points need 10 levels more. The order works this out for School Principal I. The other levels apply the same tables to their own standards, so confirm them with your HRMPSB.

| Position | Education | Training | Experience |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| School Principal I | Master’s degree, Level 21, to a doctorate, Level 31 | 32 hours to 112 hours | 6 years to 11 years |
| School Principal II | Master’s degree, Level 21, to a doctorate, Level 31 | 32 hours to 112 hours | 7 years to 12 years |
| School Principal III | Master’s degree, Level 21, to a doctorate, Level 31 | 40 hours to 120 hours | 8 years to 13 years |
| School Principal IV | Master’s degree, Level 21, to a doctorate, Level 31 | 40 hours to 120 hours | 9 years to 14 years |

### The order’s example: Applicant A for School Principal I

| Criterion | Qualification | Increments | Points |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Education | Master’s degree in Education and a PhD in Education | Level 31 − 21 = 10 increments | 10 points |
| Training | 168 hours of relevant training since the last promotion. A 2017 seminar is more than 5 years old and does not count. | Level 22 − 5 = 17 increments | 10 points |
| Experience | 20 years and 9 months as Teacher I to III, Head Teacher III, and Master Teacher I | Level 31 − 13 = 18 increments | 10 points |

**Education, training, and experience: 30 points of 30**

### How credentials are credited

- Only qualifications relevant to the position earn points, and meeting the minimum earns zero.
- Units and degrees in different majors add up if they are relevant and no subject repeats.
- Training counts only if you completed it after your last promotion and within 5 years of the assessment date.
- Relevant online training counts, subject to CSC Memorandum Circular No. 3, s. 2021.
- Part-time work of at least 4 hours a day counts, converted to 8-hour days, with a Certificate of Employment that shows the hours.
- Experience abroad counts with a Certificate of Employment. Documents not in English or Filipino need a full English translation.
- Doctor of Medicine units or degrees may count as master’s, and law (LLB or JD) units or degrees as professional doctorate, for points only. Neither applies to positions whose practice falls under board laws.

## Performance and potential

Your latest rating is worth up to 25 points by formula. Potential, worth 15, comes from a written examination and an interview, weighted differently for School Principal I.

### Performance, up to 25 points

**Points = your rating ÷ 5 × 25**

A rating of 4.356 earns 21.78 points.

- The rating comes from your IPCRF, or the school’s OPCRF, in your current position or a relevant previous one.
- You need at least Very Satisfactory in the last rating period before the assessment, or the last one before an official leave.
- After reclassification, the rating you had before it counts as your rating in the new position for a later promotion.

### Potential, up to 15 points

*Potential points by component and target position*

| Component | School Principal I | School Principal II to IV |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Written examination | 10 | 5 |
| Behavioral Events Interview | 5 | 10 |

Moving up the line, the interview counts for more and the written examination for less.

### Written examination

For School Principal I, your score in the NQESH, the Principal’s Test, or a similar DepEd examination such as the NASH sets this component. A percentage score on your Certificate of Rating is multiplied by the weight.

**Points = percentage score × 10**

An 82.5% score earns 8.25 points.

For School Principal II to IV, the HRMPSB or subject matter experts it invites write the examination. It tests knowledge, language, presentation of ideas, judgment, and leadership.

**Points = raw score ÷ total items × 5**

85 of 100 earns 4.25 points.

### Behavioral Events Interview

The panel asks how you acted in real situations at work, on the principle that past behavior predicts future performance. It uses the STAR approach: the Situation you faced, your Task, the Actions you took, and their Results. Prepare your examples in that shape.

- **Aptitude**: Your capacity to take on the duties of the position and higher, more technical ones.
- **Characteristics or traits**: Other relevant aspects, such as your psychological and social well-being.
- **Fitness**: Your job fit, location fit, and organizational fit.

The board may add other areas. It sets the points for each, up to the component’s ceiling.

Education, training, experience, performance, and the written examination follow fixed formulas and cover 65 points. The other 35 depend on the evidence you submit and on the interview.

**Your assessment score becomes ranking points**

For School Principal I, the board turns your school head assessment percentage straight into written examination points. Practice the situational judgment it rewards while you still have time. [Try a free practice set](https://nash.com.ph/sign-up).

## Accomplishments and applied learning

Thirty points depend on means of verification (MOVs): documents that prove what you achieved since your last promotion. A claim without its listed MOVs earns nothing.

### Outstanding accomplishments, up to 10

Contributions recognized by an authorized body, such as ideas, inventions, or discoveries. They must link to the key result areas of your position and have improved efficiency, output, work standards, or savings. The components below add up, to a maximum of 10. A national individual award from a thorough search by CSC, Metrobank, NEDA, DAP, or DepEd earns all 10.

#### Awards and recognition, up to 7 points

| Outstanding employee award | Points |
| --- | --- |
| Division-level search or higher | 4 points |
| School, municipal, or district search | 2 points |

Means of verification:

- An issuance showing the search criteria
- The certificate of recognition or merit

| Award as trainer or coach | Points |
| --- | --- |
| Champion or highest placer, national | 3 points |
| Champion or highest placer, regional | 2 points |
| Champion or highest placer, division or provincial | 1 point |

Means of verification:

- An issuance designating you as trainer or coach
- The certificate as trainer or coach of the winner

In a contest that advances from division to national level, only your highest level counts. Among awards from different award-giving bodies, only the highest counts.

#### Research and innovation, up to 4 points

| By the MOVs you submit | Points |
| --- | --- |
| A, B, C, and D; or A, B, C, and E | 4 points |
| A, B, and C | 3 points |
| A and B | 2 points |
| A only | 1 point |

Means of verification:

- A. Proposal approved by the head of office or research committee (DO 16, s. 2017)
- B. Accomplishment report verified by the head of office
- C. Certification that your school or office uses it
- D. Certification that another school or office adopted it
- E. Proof that other approved research cites it

For joint work, the points are divided by the number of authors on the copyright page.

#### Subject matter expert or national TWG member, up to 3 points

| By the MOVs you submit | Points |
| --- | --- |
| All three MOVs | 3 points |
| The issuance and certificate only | 2 points |

Means of verification:

- An issuance showing your membership
- The certificate of participation or attendance
- The output, or its adoption by DepEd or the organization

The work must be at the national level, such as writing or validating policies, frameworks, or learning materials, and relevant to the position.

#### Resource speaker or learning facilitator, up to 2 points

| By level | Points |
| --- | --- |
| Division level or higher | 2 points |
| School, municipal, or district | 1 point |

Means of verification:

- The issuance, invitation, or training matrix
- The certificate of recognition or appreciation
- Your slide deck or session guide

All three MOVs are required. Seminars, conferences, and LAC sessions all count.

#### NEAP-accredited learning facilitator, up to 2 points

| By accreditation | Points |
| --- | --- |
| Accredited National Assessor | 2 points |
| Accredited National Trainer | 1.5 points |
| Accredited Regional Trainer | 1 point |

Means of verification:

- Certificate of recognition as learning facilitator from the NEAP Regional or Central Office

### Application of education, up to 10 points

What you contributed at work from your graduate units or degrees: concepts, processes, or skills that led to significant positive results.

Means of verification:

- A. Action plan approved by the head of office
- B. Accomplishment report verified by the head of office
- C. Certification of use or adoption, signed by the head of office

*Application of education points by the MOVs submitted*

| MOVs submitted | Relevant | Not relevant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All MOVs | 10 | 5 |
| A and B | 7 | 3 |
| A only | 5 | 1 |

### Application of learning and development, up to 10 points

Proven success from training and other development you attended, which led to significant positive results at work.

Means of verification:

- A. Training certificate aligned with your Individual Development Plan
- B. Action plan, re-entry action plan, job-embedded learning, or impact project, approved by the head of office
- C. Accomplishment report and certification that your office used it
- D. Accomplishment report and certification that another office, at your level or higher, adopted it

*Application of learning and development points by the MOVs submitted*

| MOVs submitted | Relevant | Not relevant |
| --- | --- | --- |
| All MOVs | 10 | 5 |
| A, B, and C | 7 | 3 |
| A and B | 5 | 1 |

An intervention is relevant when it applies directly to the unit where the position sits, under that unit’s official mandate; for a School Principal, that is the school. Anything else is scored as not relevant.

## Results and the queue

Within 7 calendar days after the last assessment, the board prepares the Comparative Assessment Results for Expanded Reclassification (CAReER) for each position, in two copies.

- **The public copy**: Lists candidates by application code, in no particular order, with each criterion’s score, the total, and remarks. It stays posted in at least three places for at least 10 calendar days.
- **The Superintendent’s copy**: Ranks candidates from highest to lowest total, with the Plantilla Allocation List of those the slots cover. The Superintendent checks that funds are spread fairly across positions, then endorses it.
- **Remarks that guide approval**: The board may note your potential and your job, organizational, and location fit to guide the Superintendent’s review.

### If the slots run out before your name

Not being accommodated this year does not send you back to the start.

1. **Valid until exhausted**: A position’s CAReER stays valid until every candidate on it has been accommodated.
2. **First in line next year**: Candidates not accommodated stay in the queue. They skip reassessment and are reclassified before any new applicant.
3. **Carry over or update**: In a later cycle for the same position, you may carry over your scores, update your credentials, or both. Submit a letter of intent and your latest performance rating.
4. **Vacancies stay open to you**: You may still apply for vacant positions. For an equivalent vacant School Principal position, you may carry over your CAReER scores the same way.

Questions about the process or your results go to the HRMPSB within 5 calendar days of the CAReER posting. The board answers in writing within 3 to 7 calendar days, and reclassification continues in the meantime.

## From division to appointment

Selected candidates pass through the division, the Regional Office, and the DBM. Two dates are fixed: November 30 for the regional list and March 30 the next year for appointments.

1. **HRMPSB**: Submits the signed CAReER, the Plantilla Allocation List, and every applicant’s RFSPP to the Superintendent.
2. **Schools Division Superintendent**: Recommends candidates to the Regional Director, based on the CAReER, the funds the Budget Officer certifies, and the staffing standard.
3. **Teacher Credentials Evaluator**: Evaluates the documents at the Regional Office against the qualification standards and performance requirement.
4. **Regional HRMO and Chief Administrative Officer**: Review and countersign the RFSPP and the allocation list. The Chief Administrative Officer certifies the RFSPP.
5. **Regional Director**: Approves the RFSPP, the allocation list, the report on School Principal positions, and the transmittal letter.
6. **DBM Regional Office**: Receives the list by November 30, processes it, and issues the NOSCA through its Action Document Releasing System.
7. **Schools Division Office**: Prepares your appointment papers under the CSC rules, issues them by March 30 of the next year, and adjusts your salary.

### What the division sends to the Regional Office

By the deadline in the regional memorandum. The Regional Director then sends the approved list, the report on School Principal positions, and the lump-sum status to the DBM.

- Endorsement letter signed by the Superintendent
- RFSPP of each qualified applicant
- Signed CAReER and Plantilla Allocation List
- Certified ePSIPOP pages naming the candidates
- Certificate of Availability of Funds and the latest lump-sum status report
- Certified copy of the Sub-ARO
- Each candidate’s PDS, academic records, service record, training certificates, and Certificate of Rating
- Report on the Number of School Principal Positions in the division
- Special Transfer Order, if positions are transferred
- Quantum leap justification, if applicable

The Superintendent, as appointing authority, is accountable for the appointments and answers queries and complaints about them. Every other appointment rule in the DepEd Merit Selection Plan and the CSC rules still applies.

## Salary after reclassification

Reclassification to a higher position moves you to its salary grade. Your step within the grade, and the money behind it, follow the Joint Circular’s rules.

- **Step 1 of the new grade**: When reclassification moves you to a higher position, the Joint Circular sets your salary at step 1 of the new salary grade, applying the promotion rules of DBM Budget Circular No. 2019-1.
- **Step increments start over**: Step increments for length of service count from your appointment to the new position. Steps you earned before do not carry over.
- **Retitling keeps your pay**: If your position is only retitled, you keep your present salary rate, including step increments.
- **Paid from a yearly lump sum**: Approved reclassifications are charged to the Lump-sum for the Reclassification of Positions in the General Appropriations Act. Applicants not accommodated in earlier years come first.

### School Principal salary grades

| Position | Salary grade | Teaching equivalent |
| --- | --- | --- |
| School Principal I | SG 19 | Same grade as Master Teacher II |
| School Principal II | SG 20 | Same grade as Master Teacher III |
| School Principal III | SG 21 | Same grade as Master Teacher IV |
| School Principal IV | SG 22 | Same grade as Master Teacher V |

Salary grade rates change with the law, so the call for applications states each position’s current monthly salary. Ask your division’s personnel or budget office how the step rules apply to your present salary.

## Transition rules for incumbents

Until February 24, 2028, Head Teachers and Assistant School Principals are on-stream candidates with priority for School Principal positions. After that, their paths into the line close.

- **February 25, 2025**: Transition begins
- **March 12, 2025**: The IRR of EO 174 takes effect
- **February 24, 2028**: Transition ends

### Special School Principals I and II

- You are retitled to the equivalent School Principal position once you meet the qualification standards. Until then, you keep your title.
- You need neither the school head assessment nor an HRMPSB assessment, because you already perform a school head’s functions.

### Assistant School Principals II and III, and Head Teacher VI

- If you meet the qualification standards and passed the school head assessment, you are retitled to School Principal I or II without an HRMPSB assessment, and assigned to a school in the division without a principal item.
- If every school already has a principal item, you keep your title and serve as Assistant School Head or Department Head in your school until a School Principal vacancy opens. You get priority for it if you are among the top 5 or top-ranking candidates.
- If you miss the standards or have not passed, you are retitled to Master Teacher II or III and become an on-stream candidate for School Principal.

### Assistant School Principal I, Assistant Special School Principal I, and Head Teachers I to V

- You may keep your title or be retitled to the equivalent Teacher or Master Teacher position. You can request retitling any time before the transition ends.
- Either way, you are an on-stream candidate, with priority for reclassification to School Principal I without passing through Master Teacher I.

- **Priority for School Principal**: On-stream candidates get priority in reclassification, and in natural vacancies when they are among the top 5 or top-ranking candidates.
- **Development first**: NEAP prioritizes on-stream candidates for the professional development that prepares full-fledged principals.
- **Keep leading your school**: If you manage a school, you keep your School Head designation there during the transition. If it ends without your reclassification and a principal has been appointed, you are designated Assistant School Head in a school with more than 1,000 learners.
- **After February 24, 2028**: You are no longer on-stream. A kept title that has not advanced or been retitled becomes co-terminus with you (CTI), and you may then be promoted only through natural vacancies.

Vacant Special School Principal and Assistant School Principal II and III items convert to School Principal I; vacant Head Teacher and Assistant School Principal I items convert to Teacher I. The [NASH guide](https://nash.com.ph/nash#transition) lists how every Head Teacher and Assistant School Principal level is retitled.

## Common questions

Short answers drawn from the issuances. Your division office has the final word on your case.

### Do I need a vacancy to be reclassified?

No. Reclassification upgrades the position you hold. The number of slots still depends on your division’s budget and the rule of one principal item per school, so a reclassified principal may be assigned to another school in the division.

### I am a Master Teacher I. Can I apply for School Principal I?

Yes. Master Teacher I is where the career lines split, and the Joint Circular lists it as a path to School Principal I. You need the qualification standards, a pass in the school head assessment, and a Very Satisfactory rating. You may switch career lines only once.

### I am a Head Teacher. Can I skip Master Teacher I?

Until February 24, 2028, yes. As an on-stream candidate you may be reclassified to School Principal I without passing through Master Teacher I, with priority. After that date, the path from Head Teacher positions closes.

### Is there a minimum total score?

The enclosure sets none. Qualified candidates are ranked by total score, and the division reclassifies as many as its slots allow. Those not reached stay first in line for the next cycle.

### How much is my NASH or NQESH score worth?

For School Principal I, your school head assessment score sets the written examination component, worth 10 of the 100 points. A percentage score of 82.5 earns 8.25 points. For higher School Principal positions, the HRMPSB gives its own written examination, worth 5 points.

### I am already a School Principal. Do I need to pass the NASH?

No. A pass is required for a first appointment to a School Principal position. Principals appointed before an examination was required are also exempt when applying for higher School Principal positions.

### What if I submit no MOVs?

You stay in the pool, because MOVs are not among the mandatory documents. But outstanding accomplishments, application of education, and application of learning and development are worth 30 points, and they are scored only from MOVs.

### Can I question my score?

Yes. Ask during the open ranking, and lodge any query with the HRMPSB within 5 calendar days of the CAReER posting. The board answers in writing within 3 to 7 calendar days. Signing your RFSPP does not waive a protest, and the process does not stop for pending queries.

### When does my salary change?

After the DBM issues the NOSCA, the division issues appointments by March 30 of the year after the call, then adjusts salaries. You start at step 1 of the new salary grade.

*Prepare for the NASH*

## Make your NASH score count

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Practice scores are study aids, not official NASH ratings.

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## Sources

This guide summarizes these DepEd and government issuances. Check the official text and your division’s memorandum before you act on any rule.

- **DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025, Enclosure No. 3**: Guidelines on the Reclassification to School Principal Positions: the call, documents, initial evaluation, comparative assessment, rubrics, CAReER, approval, and appointment.
- **DepEd Order No. 024, s. 2025, Enclosure No. 1**: General guidelines on the Expanded Career Progression System: career lines, promotion limits, staffing standards, and transitory provisions.
- **DepEd-DBM Joint Circular No. 01, s. 2025**: Form No. 1-B on which positions can be reclassified to each School Principal level, plus the reclassification process, compensation, and funding.
- **DepEd Order No. 019, s. 2025**: Adopts CSC Resolution No. 2500471, the qualification standards for School Principal I to IV.
- **DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2024**: Item 27: every first appointment to a School Principal position requires a pass in the school head assessment.
- **Executive Order No. 174, s. 2022, and its IRR**: Establish the Expanded Career Progression System and the three-year transition.

For official questions, contact the Bureau of Human Resource and Organizational Development, Human Resource Development Division, at bhrod.hrdd@deped.gov.ph, or visit the [official DepEd website](https://www.deped.gov.ph/). NASH Reviewer is not affiliated with DepEd, BHROD, or NEAP.