Reclassification for SPED Teachers and Principals

Article XIV (Sections 1, 2 and 11) of the Philippine Constitution enunciates the right of children with special needs to education, equality of opportunity, and participation in society.
Republic Act No. 7277 (the “Magna Carta for Disabled Persons”) enunciates rights supporting education and equality of opportunity for persons with disabilities.
DECS statistics for 1996–1997 show only 90,000 or 2% of the targeted 4 million children with special needs were served in schools.
DECS Order No. 26, s. 1997 provides for strengthening and institutionalizing the SPED Program in all schools.
Republic Act No. 6758 prescribes a revised compensation and position classification system in government and for other purposes, which the Order implements for SPED-related positions.

Regional Directors must submit recommendations to the Chief of the Management Division, Financial Management Service, DECS for the reclassification of:
- Regular teacher items to SPED teacher items, and
- Regular school principal items to special school principal items.
Reclassification applies to items for personnel actually involved in providing educational services to children with special needs.
Reclassification is subject to established guidelines on availability of funds.
Reclassification of SPED teacher and principal items is implemented on a staggered basis.
The salary grades for SPED teachers and special school principals under Republic Act No. 6758 shall be implemented through this reclassification process.

An elementary grades teacher who underwent formal training in Special Education at the national, regional and division level and is presently teaching children with special needs is considered a SPED teacher.
SPED teachers provide educational services to children with special needs, including:
- gifted or fast learners,
- mentally retarded,
- visually impaired,
- hearing impaired,
- learning disabled,
- orthopedically handicapped,
- chronically ill,
- autistic children,
- children with behavior problems,
- in special schools, SPED centers, and regular schools with SPED programs.
Qualification standards for SPED teachers are categorized by grade/position level.

SPED Teacher (Grade 13) requires:
- a Bachelor’s degree in Education with specialization in special education, or a minimum of 18 units of SPED at the graduate level; and
- one month summer training in SPED (conducted at Philippine Normal University, University of the Philippines, YMCA Open College, Manila, and other recognized institutions) through DECS DISP or other NGO funding agencies, credited as 9 units.
SPED Teacher (Grade 13) requires the teacher to possess the appropriate civil service eligibility.
SPED Teacher (Grade 13) requires at least 3 years experience providing educational services to children with special needs.
SPED Teacher (Grade 13) requires a Very Satisfactory performance rating in the last three years.
SPED Teacher II (Grade 14) requires 38 units in Special Education at the masteral level.
SPED Teacher III (Grade 15) requires the teacher to be an MA in SPED or its equivalent.

A principal of a special education (SPED) center/school offering educational services to children with special needs listed under SPED teachers shall be reclassified as a Special School Principal.
The principal’s SPED service categories include:
- gifted or fast learners,
- mentally retarded,
- visually impaired,
- hearing impaired,
- learning disabled,
- orthopedically handicapped,
- chronically ill,
- autistic children,
- children with behavior problems.

Special School Principal I (Grade 18) requires:
- professional training in the organization, administration and supervision in special education, and
- teaching experience in the education of children with special needs.
Special School Principal I (Grade 18) requires a minimum of 10 to 25 SPED teachers under supervision.
Special School Principal (Grade 19) requires, for qualification as Special School Principal II, at least 50 SPED teachers under supervision.

SPED teacher supporting documents must include:
- Transcript of Records/Certificates of Participation/Attendance in Trainings/Conferences/Workshops in SPED or a certification that the teacher has the required number of SPED units issued by the training institution/agency;
- Rating Card for the Civil Service Eligibility;
- Certification of the Principal that the teacher has at least three (3) years experience teaching any children-with-special-needs categories; and
- Certification of the Principal that the teacher has a Very Satisfactory rating for the last three (3) years.
Special School/SPED Center principal supporting documents must include:
- Transcript of Records/Certification that the principal was trained in the Organization, Administration and Supervision in SPED by the training institution/agency;
- Certification by the Schools Division Superintendent that the principal has experienced teaching any of the children-with-special-needs categories; and
- a List of SPED Teachers under his/her supervision certified by the Schools Division Superintendent.

Pertinent papers and documents of SPED Teachers and Special School Principals must be submitted to the Secretary of Education, Culture and Sports through proper channels (thru Channels).
Implementation of the reclassification is carried out through staggered basis timing, subject to availability of funds and following the submission of required papers.

The Order directs institutional strengthening of SPED Program in all schools through the framework of DECS Order No. 26, s. 1997.
Salary grading and compensation/position classification for SPED teachers and special school principals is implemented under Republic Act No. 6758.
The rights and need for educational services for children with special needs are anchored on Article XIV and Republic Act No. 7277.