The Department of Education (DepEd) in the Philippines has established a comprehensive grading system designed to reflect students’ academic performance, behavior, and skills holistically. This grading system is adapted by schools and adheres to the principles of fairness, transparency, and developmental progress, which are rooted in the academic growth of students. At its core, the system evaluates students on a scale where numerical indicators represent the degree of achievement across learning areas, taking into account their ability to grasp and apply learned concepts.
The criteria for grading include different key components such as Written Work, Performance Tasks, and Quarterly Assessments, each assigned a specific weightage contributing to the final grade. Grades range from 65 to 100, with descriptors from Did Not Meet Expectations ((DNM)) below 75, stepping up to Outstanding (O) for scores between 90 to 100. The computation process involves summing up all scores, converting them to percentage scores, and then using weighted averages to arrive at a Quarterly Grade. This intricate process ensures an accurate representation of the student’s learning and performance throughout the academic period.
Overview
Computing grades is one of the most tedious tasks for teachers in the Philippines. The grading system designed by the Department of Education should be strictly followed as a curriculum guide. All students must meet the passing grade in order to move up and attend the next school year. So, how do teachers compute their students’ grades and assess their learning skills in all subject areas?
The progress of learners is recorded by teachers to compute their grades, from kindergarten to Grade 12. Their initial grades would be the sum of their weighted scores per component, while the quarterly grades for every learning area are recorded in the. Get an idea on the step-by-step procedure in computing grades in this simple guide.
What is the DepEd Grading System
The DepEd Grading System is used for the K to 12 Basic Education Program in the Philippines. This modular, competency-based grading system is included in the curriculum guides. The grades are computed according to the weighted raw scores from the summative assessments of the students. Every learner needs to pass the minimum grade for each learning area, which is 60 and changed to 75 in their report cards (SF9).
On the other hand, the lowest grade that may be recorded in the report card for Final Grades and Quarterly Grades is 60. The Department uses a floor grade based on these guidelines which is considered to be the lowest mark in the report card. Grade 1 to 12 students are graded based on their performance tasks, quarterly assessments, and written work. These three factors are given certain percentage weights varying from the learning area’s nature.
Generally, the DepEd Grading System serves as a framework for assessing the performance of students in the Philippines. It covers all schools nationwide and reflects the capabilities, areas for improvement, and achievements of the students. There are different facets of the grading system such as the methodology, grading scale, innovations, importance, and common questions.
Recording and Computation of Learner Progress
There is a different order or memorandum regarding the guidelines for kindergarten learners. For instance, the anecdotal records and checklists are used rather than numerical grades. These learning standards help teachers keep records through a compilation or portfolio of the output of learners including artwork, activity sheets, and writing samples.
For Grade 1 to 12 students, the grading period involves a Quarterly Assessment including some Written Work in order to demonstrate their knowledge and skills by completing Performance Tasks. When it comes to the Performance Tasks and Written Work, there’s no required number, but it should be implemented throughout the quarter while assessing the skills of learners per unit.
Parents can access the grades of their children to see how they perform in school. In fact, they are highly encouraged by teachers to stay updated with the grading information. This fosters healthy relationship between school and home, while improving the overall educational experiences for learners.
DepEd Grading Methodology
The process of computing students’ grades involve some important factors to accurately assess the performance of students in the classroom. This dynamic tool plays a crucial role in shaping the Philippine educational landscape. With a well-defined structure for evaluation and understanding the many-sided nature of education. The grading system also supports students and teachers through a culture of inclusivity and excellence, sustaining the learning experience in the Philippines.
- Written Exams. When it comes to gauging the knowledge of students in the subject areas, written exams play an important role. The periodic tests help evaluate the critical thinking skils, application of knowledge, and memorization of facts.
- Classroom Participation. This measures the interaction and engagement of students in their classroom. Teachers provide support and feedback by observing how their students actively participate and demonstrate their curiosity and comprehension.
- Performance Tasks. The purpose of performance tasks is to give a view on the way learners apply the lessons in school. These tasks include hands-on activities and projects to evaluate their ability to practice what they’ve learned.
- Projects and Homework. Through projects and assignments, teachers get a deeper understanding on how students value their time outside the classroom. By assigning projects and homework, learners can better understand the subjects, achieve independent study skills, and reinforce learning.
DepEd Grading Scale
The grading system of DepEd has core functions including the promotion of continuous development, open communication among students, parents, and teachers, and tracking of the progress of learners. From time to time, DepEd revises the grading system in order to keep up with the global trends in terms of innovative learning.
Highlighting continuous assessment and holistic development, the revisions will make the grading system even more responsive and flexible. The focus is directed from academic achievements of students to their overall development and growth in the classroom. This helps make education in the Philippines more well-adjusted to the expectations and needs in the real world.
In the grading system, students’ grades will typically range between 65 to 100. Check out the details below:
- 90-100: Outstanding (O)
- 85-89: Very Satisfactory (VS)
- 80-84: Satisfactory (S)
- 75-79: Fairly Satisfactory (FS)
- Below 75: Did Not Meet Expectations ((DNM)
These will help educators measure the performance of the students while focusing on recognizing their achievements as well as areas they need to improve.
How to Compute K to 12 Students’ Final Grades
Following the guidelines in the K to 12 Grading System, here are all the steps on how teachers compute their students’ final grades:
Step 1: Add up all the grades from student work. The result will be the total score per component such as Quarterly Assessment, Performance Tasks, and Written Work. Raw scores from these components are then converted to percent to make sure the values are aligned with each other.
Step 2: Each component’s sum is converted to a percentage score. Percentage scores are computed by dividing the raw scores by the highest score and multiplying the quotient by 100%.
Step 3: Convert the Percentage Scores to the Weighted Score. This will show the value of the components when it comes to supporting learning in every subject area. To compute this, multiply the Percentage Score by the Weight of the Components for Grade 1 to 10 students, or for Senior High School students.
Step 4: Add up the Weighted Scores for every component to get the Initial Grade, then transmute it using the transmutation table in order to arrive at the Quarterly Grade.
Step 5: Write the Quarterly Grade per learning area in the students’ report cards.
Computation Process for Student Grades
Now, let’s delve deeper into how exactly teachers compute grade. Check out the following procedure for further understanding of the computation process:
- Determine each component’s total score.
- Total raw score divided by the highest score, and multiplied by 100%.
- Get the Weighted Scores by multiplying the Percentage Scores by the Weight of the Components.
- Add up the Weighted Score for each component to get the Initial Grade.
- Use the Transmutation Table to transmute the Initial Grade.
At the end of every school year, grades are computed as well. For kindergarten, only descriptions of the progress of the learner are recorded instead of numerical grades through student portfolios and checklists. For Grade 1 to 10 students, the Final Grade is determined using the average of the Quarterly Grades. Divide the sum of the Final Grades by the learning areas’ total number. The General Average and Final Grade are written in whole numbers in the report card.
For Grade 11 and 12 students, the Final Grade is determined by the two quarters in one semester. So there will be Final Grades for the two semesters in one academic year.
Video: Assessment & Grading System Under the New Normal
In this video, you will get all the information you need about the DepEd Order 31 s. 2020 guidelines regarding the assessment of learners’ performance and computation of grades. You can download the PowerPoint presentation for your reference.
Summary
The computation of grades for students in public and private schools is quite a daunting task to fulfill. Teachers are required to follow certain grading system guidelines in order to get the Final Grades for learners in a particular quarter or grading period. There are different weight of components to consider to compute for different Grades. Overall, the K to 12 Grading System implemented by DepEd makes learning more progressive and effective for all students across the Philippines.
Each grading period helps teachers assess the skills and knowledge of their students and help those who are having hard time catching up with the lessons. For those with failing marks, remedial classes are provided to give them another chance to pass the unit or subject they failed. More importantly, understanding how grades are computed gives people an idea on how DepEd evaluates the competency of each Filipino learner.