1. How are learners assessed in the classroom?

Learners are assessed in the classroom through various measures and processes appropriate to and congruent with learning competencies defined in the K-12 program of the Enhanced Basic Education Curriculum. Some of these measures and processes are formative assessment and summative assessment, which have different goals. Learners may be assessed individually or collaboratively.

Individual formative assessment enables the learner to demonstrate independently what has been learned or mastered through a range of activities, such as models, performances, written exercises, check-up quizzes, and even electronic presentations.

Collaborative formative assessment or peer assessment allows learners to support each other's learning. Games, discussions, role-playing, and other group activities may also be used as performance-based formative assessment wherein learners support and extend each other's learning.

Summative assessment measures the different ways learners use and apply all relevant knowledge, understanding, and skills. It must be spaced properly over the quarter.

There must be sufficient and appropriate instructional interventions to ensure the learners are ready before summative assessments are given. The evidence produced through summative assessment enables teachers to describe how well learners have learned the standards or competencies for a given quarter. The grades of learners are presented in a report card to show the progress of learners to parents or guardians and other stakeholders.

2. What is the grading system?

Learners from grade 1 to Grade 12 are graded on written work, performance tasks, and quarterly assessment every quarter. These three are given specific percentage weights that vary according to the nature of the learning area.

Table 1. Weight of the Components for Grade 1-10

When the raw scores of learners are consistently below expectations in written work and performance tasks, the parents or the guardians of learners must be informed not later than the fifth week of that quarter. This will enable them to help and to guide their child to improve and to prepare for the quarterly assessment. A learner who receives a grade below 75 in any subject in a quarter must be given intervention through remediation and extra lessons from the teacher of that subject.

3. How grades computed?

In a grading period, there is one quarterly assessment, but there should be instances for learners to produce written work and to demonstrate what they know and can do through performance tasks, but these must be spread out over the quarter and be used to assess skills of learners after each unit has been taught.

The following are the steps in computing for the final grades:

Step 1. Grades from all work of a learner are added up. This results in the total score for each component, namely written work, performance tasks, and quarterly assessment.

Raw scores from each component have to be converted to a percentage score. This is to ensure that values are parallel to each other.

Step 2. The sum for each component is converted to a percentage score. To compute the percentage score, divide the raw score by the highest possible score then multiply the quotient by 100 percent. This is shown below:

Percentage Score (PS) = (Learner's Total Raw Score/Highest Possible Score) x 100

Step 3. Percentage scores are then converted to weighted scores to show the importance of each component in promoting learning in the different subjects.

To do this, the percentage score is multiplied by the weight of the component found in Table 3 for Grades 1 to 10 and Table 5 for the senior high school. The product is known as the weighted scores (WS).

Table 2. Weight of the Components for Grade 1-10

The grading system for the senior high school follows a different set of weights for each component.

Step 4. The sum of the weighted scores in each component is the initial grade. The initial grade will be transmuted using the given transmutation table (See Appendix B of the DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015) to get the quarterly grade (QG).

Step 5. The quarterly grade for each learning area is written on the report card of the learner.

A.4. How grades are computed at the end of the school year?

For Grades 1-10

The average of the quarterly grades (QG) produces the final grade.

Final Grade by Learning Area = First QG + Second QG + Third QG + Fourth QG 4

The general average is computed by dividing the sum of all final grades by the total number of learning areas. Each learning area has equal weight.

General Average = Sum of Final Grades of All Learning Areas /Total Number of Learning Areas in a Grade Level

The Policy Guidelines on Awards and Recognition for the K-12 Basic Education Program articulates the recognition given to learners who have shown exemplary performance in specific areas of their school life. These guidelines are anchored in the DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015 (Classroom Assessment for the K-12 Basic Education Program) that supports the holistic development of learners for them to become effective lifelong learners with Twenty-first Century skills. This policy aims to give learners equal opportunity to excel in relation to the standard set by the curriculum and focus on their own performance rather than compete with one another. It recognizes that all learners have their unique strengths that need to be identified, strengthened, and publicly acknowledged.

1. Classroom Awards are recognition given to learners in each classroom or section. A simple recognition may be given per quarter, semester, or at the end of the school year. Awardees are given merit by the adviser or other subject teachers in recognition of the outstanding performance in class of the learner.

1.1 Performance Awards for Kindergarten. Kindergarten learners should be recognized for their most evident and most prominent abilities. They can also be recognized for showing significant improvement in a specific area, e.g., from having poor fine-motor skills to being able to draw or write well. Since Kindergarten learners have no numerical grades, teachers are advised to recognize outstanding achievement of learners based on the different domains or learning competencies of the Kindergarten curriculum at the end of every quarter.

1.2 Conduct Awards. These awards are given to learners who have been observed to consistently demonstrate the DepEd core values– Maka-Diyos, Makatao, Makakalikasan, Makabansa.

1.2.1 Character Traits from Kindergarten to Grade 3. These awards are given to younger learners to affirm their positive traits and attitudes or to recognize significant improvement in their behavior. Teachers can choose from, but are not limited to the character traits listed in Appendix 2. They also have the option to provide creative or unique titles for each award appropriate to their context and community.

1.2.2 Conduct Awards for Grades 4-12. Conduct awards for Grades 4-12 in each class will be given at the end of the school year. This will be based on the evaluation of the adviser and subject teachers, using the guidelines stipulated in Section VI of the DepEd Order No. .8, s. 2015.

1.3 Academic Excellence Award. The award for academic excellence within the quarter is given to learners from Grade 1 to Grade 12 who have attained an average of at least 90 percent and passed all learning areas.

Table 4 shows the specific award for academic excellence given to learners who meet the following cut-off grades.

1.4 Recognition for Perfect Attendance. The award for academic excellence within the quarter is given to learners from Grade 1 to Grade 12 who have attained an average of at least 90 percent and passed all learning areas.

2. Grade-level Awards are given to qualified learners for every grade level at the end of the school year. Candidates for the awards are deliberated by the awards committee if they have met the given criteria.

2.1 Academic Excellence Award. At the end of the school year, the academic excellence award is given to learners from Grade 1 to Grade 12 who have attained an average of at least 90 percent and passed all learning areas.

Table 5 shows the specific award for academic excellence given to learners who meet the following cut-off grades.

2.2 Leadership Award. Leadership award is given to learners in Grades 6, 10, and 12 who have demonstrated exemplary skills in motivating others and organizing projects that have significantly contributed to the betterment of the school or the community. This award is given during the completion or graduation ceremony.

To qualify for this award, a learner must (1) have no failing grade in any of the learning areas, (2) have not committed any offense punishable by suspension or higher sanction according to the DepEd service manual and child protection policies in the current school year, and (3) be a class officer or an active member or officer of any recognized school club or organization.

3. Award for Outstanding Performance in Specific Disciplines. These awards are given to recognize learners in Grades 6, 10, and 12 who have exhibited exemplary skills and achievement in specific disciplines. These disciplines are arts, science, mathematics, social sciences, communication arts, and technical-vocational education.

These awards also value the achievement of the learner in a specific discipline that has contributed to the school or community.

4. Special Recognition is given by the school to learners who have represented or won in competitions at the district, divisional, regional, national, or international levels. This is to publicly affirm learners who have brought honor to the school.