DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 • Pillar Post 1 • Classroom Assessment
Classroom Assessment Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026: A Complete Guide for Teachers and Parents
DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 changes how schools should think about classroom assessment. It is not simply about giving quizzes, recording scores, or computing grades. The bigger message is that assessment should help teachers understand learner progress, provide timely feedback, and support learners before failure happens.
Quick Summary
- Classroom assessment is part of daily teaching and learning.
- Formative assessment is for feedback, monitoring, and instructional adjustment. It should not be used for grade computation.
- Summative assessment provides evidence of learner achievement through Written Works, Performance Tasks, and Examinations.
- Assessments should be reasonable, manageable, purposeful, and aligned with learning competencies.
- Assessment results should guide remediation, enrichment, learner support, and communication with parents or guardians.
- The Order also addresses Term Examinations, assessment accommodations, ethical AI use, emergencies, and flexible learning arrangements.
What is classroom assessment?
Classroom assessment is the continuous process of gathering, analyzing, and interpreting evidence of learner performance. It helps teachers determine what learners know, what they can do, what they still find difficult, and what support they need to improve.
Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026, classroom assessment is not separate from teaching. It is part of daily instruction. Teachers use assessment evidence to adjust lessons, give feedback, plan remediation, provide enrichment, and support learner progress across the school year.
This means that assessment is not only a record-keeping requirement. It is a professional tool for making better instructional decisions. When used properly, classroom assessment helps prevent learning gaps from becoming permanent difficulties.
Core idea
Classroom assessment should answer this question: What evidence do we have about learner progress, and what should we do next?
Why classroom assessment matters
Classroom assessment matters because teaching should not be based on assumptions. A teacher may deliver a lesson clearly, but learners may still understand it at different levels. Some may be ready for enrichment, some may need guided practice, and others may need immediate remediation.
Good assessment helps teachers see these differences. It gives teachers a basis for deciding whether to proceed, reteach, modify an activity, provide scaffolding, or give additional learning support.
For Teachers
It guides feedback, remediation, enrichment, pacing, and instructional adjustment.
For Learners
It helps learners recognize their strengths, difficulties, progress, and next steps.
For Parents
It provides clearer information on learning progress, school support, and home support needs.
What changed under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026?
The revised guidelines do not simply repeat old assessment practices. They clarify the purpose of assessment and connect it more strongly with teaching, learner support, grading, and responsible use of technology.
Practice to avoid
Treating every classroom activity as a graded output, giving too many tasks for compliance, or using assessment mainly to fill the class record.
Better practice
Using assessment evidence to give feedback, adjust instruction, document progress, and support learners before failure becomes final.
Major shifts to remember
- Formative assessment is clearly for feedback and learner progress, not grade computation.
- Summative assessment should be reasonable, manageable, and purposeful.
- Written Works, Performance Tasks, and Examinations should provide valid and sufficient evidence of learning.
- Assessment results should guide remediation, enrichment, and learner support.
- Term Examination provisions and item numbers are clarified by key stage.
- AI use in assessment is addressed through authenticity, transparency, equity, and data privacy principles.
- Assessment during emergencies and flexible learning should remain fair, inclusive, and responsive to learner conditions.
Key Component
Formative assessment
Formative assessment is assessment for learning. It is used before, during, and after instruction to monitor learner progress and help teachers decide what to do next. It may be formal or informal, planned or spontaneous.
Examples include questioning, observation, discussion, learner outputs, teacher feedback, self-assessment, peer assessment, learning logs, reflection prompts, practice tasks, and exit tickets. These activities help teachers identify misconceptions, learning gaps, readiness, and learner needs.
Examples of formative assessment practices
- Short oral questioning during discussion
- Observation of learner participation and task performance
- Exit ticket after a lesson
- Reflection prompt such as “What did I understand well today?”
- Practice quiz used only for feedback
- Peer feedback using clear success criteria
- Self-assessment checklist
- Teacher feedback on a draft before final submission
- Learning journal or notebook reflection
- Short conference with a learner or group of learners
The ESRU idea in simple terms
The Order refers to the ESRU process as a way of guiding formative assessment. In simple terms, the teacher elicits a response, the learner gives a response, the teacher recognizes what the response shows, and the teacher uses that evidence to adjust instruction or support.
Supporting article to publish later
Understanding Formative Assessment Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026
Coming soon. Replace this note with a live link once the supporting post is published.
Key Component
Summative assessment
Summative assessment is assessment of learning. It evaluates learner achievement at defined points in the curriculum, such as after a lesson sequence, an instructional unit, or a term.
Summative assessment provides evidence for reporting learner achievement. It should be standards-based, competency-aligned, and appropriate to the learners’ key stage. It should measure not only recall but also understanding, application, reasoning, and higher-order thinking when appropriate.
Key reminder
Summative assessment should be reasonable, manageable, and purposeful. It should produce valid evidence of learning, not simply additional paperwork.
What good summative assessment should do
- Measure intended learning competencies.
- Use clear directions and fair criteria.
- Provide enough evidence of learner achievement.
- Match the difficulty and format to the learners’ grade level.
- Avoid unnecessary duplication of tasks.
- Use rubrics when learner performance or output is being evaluated.
Supporting article to publish later
Understanding Summative Assessment Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026
Coming soon. Replace this note with a live link once the supporting post is published.
Written Works, Performance Tasks, and Examinations
The revised guidelines identify three main types of summative assessment: Written Works, Performance Tasks, and Examinations. These provide varied evidence of learner achievement.
| Assessment Type | Main Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Written Works | Measure understanding through written or structured responses. | Quizzes, essays, written reports, journals, worksheets, constructed responses |
| Performance Tasks | Measure application of knowledge and skills in meaningful or authentic contexts. | Projects, demonstrations, portfolios, investigations, presentations, products, performances |
| Examinations | Measure achievement at key points in the term. | Summative Tests and Term Examination |
Written Works
Written Works should help learners demonstrate understanding through written or structured responses. They may include quizzes, essays, journals, worksheets, reports, and other written tasks. However, they should not be limited to memorization. When appropriate, they should also require explanation, reasoning, organization of ideas, and application.
Performance Tasks
Performance Tasks should measure the learner’s ability to apply knowledge and skills. These may include projects, demonstrations, portfolios, oral presentations, investigations, performances, or outputs. A Performance Task should have clear criteria and should be evaluated using a rubric when appropriate.
Examinations
Examinations are administered at key points in the term. These include Summative Tests and the Term Examination. Examinations should be teacher-made, competency-aligned, and based on a Table of Specifications.
Supporting articles to publish later
Written Works Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026
Performance Tasks Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026
Examinations and Term Examinations Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026
Coming soon. Replace these notes with live links once the supporting posts are published.
Recommended number of assessments
DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 provides guidance on the number of summative assessments to ensure that teachers gather enough evidence of learning without creating assessment overload.
For Grades 1 to 3, teachers should use professional judgment to gather sufficient evidence of learning through developmentally appropriate, integrated, and manageable assessment practices. For Grades 4 to 12, the Order provides clearer recommended ranges for Written Works, Performance Tasks, and Examinations.
| Summative Assessment | Grades 1–3 | Grades 4–12 |
|---|---|---|
| Written Works | Teacher discretion based on sufficient evidence and developmentally appropriate practice | 3–5 per learning area per term |
| Performance Tasks | Teacher discretion based on sufficient evidence and developmentally appropriate practice | 2–3 per learning area per term |
| Examinations | Limited, developmentally appropriate, and used only when suitable | 2 Summative Tests and 1 Term Examination per learning area per term |
Term Examination provisions
The Term Examination is administered at the end of each term. It should be teacher-made, competency-aligned, and based on the Table of Specifications. It should measure achievement of covered learning standards and should be appropriate to the key stage.
| Key Stage / Grade Level | Term Examination Provision | Number of Items |
|---|---|---|
| Kindergarten | No Term Examination | Not applicable |
| Grades 1 to 3 | May be administered for selected learning areas if developmentally appropriate | Minimal and teacher-determined |
| Grades 4 to 6 | Required; cumulative assessment aligned with competencies | 40 items |
| Grades 7 to 10 | Required; includes higher-order thinking skills | 50 items |
| Grades 11 to 12 | Required; competency-based and discipline-specific | 60 items |
Teachers should avoid preparing examinations at the last minute. A valid examination requires clear alignment among competencies, item types, cognitive demand, and the Table of Specifications.
Supporting article to publish later
How to Prepare a Table of Specifications Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026
Coming soon. Replace this note with a live link once the supporting post is published.
Assessment accommodations
Classroom assessment should be fair and accessible to all learners. Learners with disabilities and learners with specific learning needs should be given appropriate assessment accommodations to ensure equitable access to assessment.
Assessment accommodations may include adjustments in time, format, setting, response mode, or presentation of the task. These accommodations should be planned, documented, and coordinated with parents or guardians and relevant specialists when needed.
Important principle
Assessment accommodations should remove unnecessary barriers without changing the intended learning standard being assessed.
Ethical use of AI and technology in assessment
DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 recognizes that artificial intelligence and digital tools are now part of the learning environment. However, the use of AI should not compromise the integrity of assessment.
Assessment outputs should reflect the learner’s own work, thinking, reasoning, and performance. When AI use is permitted, it should be disclosed and documented. Teachers should also protect learner data and avoid uploading personal learner information or official school documents to AI platforms.
Prohibited AI Use
AI is not allowed for tasks requiring independent recall, reasoning, or performance.
Limited AI Use
AI may support grammar, translation, vocabulary, brainstorming, or initial research when allowed and disclosed.
Guided AI Use
AI may be used in complex tasks when learners demonstrate ownership, reasoning, and contextual application.
Supporting article to publish later
Ethical Use of AI in Classroom Assessment Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026
Coming soon. Replace this note with a live link once the supporting post is published.
Assessment during emergencies and flexible learning
The revised guidelines recognize that assessment may happen during emergencies or flexible learning arrangements. In these situations, assessment should remain fair, inclusive, flexible, and supportive of learner well-being.
During disruptions, schools may adjust assessment methods, scheduling, or formats, provided that the intent of assessment is preserved. Assessment should still generate valid evidence of learning, but it should not disadvantage learners because of conditions beyond their control.
Emergency situations
Prioritize learner safety, well-being, fairness, and available evidence of learning.
Flexible learning
Adapt the delivery or format of tasks without changing grading rules or lowering standards.
The central principle is simple: assessment should remain meaningful, but it should also be humane and responsive to actual learning conditions.
Supporting article to publish later
Classroom Assessment During Emergencies and Flexible Learning
Coming soon. Replace this note with a live link once the supporting post is published.
What teachers should do
Teachers should review their assessment practices and ensure that their classroom activities are aligned with the revised guidelines. The goal is not merely to comply with the policy, but to make assessment more useful for instruction and learner support.
- Separate formative assessment from summative assessment.
- Use formative assessment for feedback, not grade computation.
- Ensure that summative assessments are aligned with competencies.
- Prepare reasonable and manageable assessment tasks.
- Use rubrics for Performance Tasks and integrative assessments.
- Prepare a Table of Specifications for major tests and examinations.
- Use assessment evidence to plan remediation and enrichment.
- Document learner progress and needed support.
- Apply AI rules clearly and consistently.
- Protect learner data and observe assessment fairness.
What parents should know
Parents should understand that not all classroom activities are automatically part of the grade. Some activities are formative, which means they are used for practice, feedback, and monitoring progress. These help teachers identify what learners need before summative assessments are given.
Parents should also understand that assessment results should lead to support. If a learner is struggling, the school should provide feedback, remediation, and appropriate intervention instead of waiting until the end of the school year.
Parent-friendly explanation
Classroom assessment helps teachers see how learners are doing, what they need help with, and how they can improve.
Related classroom assessment guides
This pillar post serves as the main hub for the classroom assessment area. The following supporting articles may be published separately and linked here later:
Frequently asked questions
No. Formative assessment is used to monitor progress, provide feedback, and guide instruction. It should not be used for grade computation.
Grades are based on summative assessment evidence such as Written Works, Performance Tasks, and Examinations, following the prescribed guidelines and component weights.
Yes. Quizzes may be used as formative or summative assessment depending on purpose. If used for practice and feedback, they are formative. If used as evidence of achievement, they are summative and should be properly recorded.
Yes. Performance Tasks remain part of summative assessment. They should measure application of knowledge and skills in meaningful and authentic contexts.
It depends on the task. Some assessments prohibit AI use. Some may allow limited or guided AI use if disclosed, documented, and aligned with the learning purpose.
Not necessarily. The goal is sufficient and valid evidence, not excessive assessment. Assessments should be reasonable, manageable, purposeful, and aligned with learning competencies.
Final thoughts
Classroom assessment under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 should help schools move from a score-centered mindset to a learning-centered mindset. The most important question is not only “What grade did the learner get?” but also “What does this evidence tell us, and what support should come next?”
When classroom assessment is properly implemented, it improves teaching, clarifies learner progress, strengthens feedback, supports timely intervention, and makes grading more meaningful and defensible.
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