Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST)

• DepEd Order No. 42, S. 2017 mandates the national adoption and implementation of the Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers (PPST).
• The PPST aims to define what teachers should know, value, and be capable of doing, covering four career stages: Beginning, Proficient, Highly Proficient, and Distinguished.
• The PPST builds upon the National Competency-based Teacher Standards (NCBTS).
• The PPST comprises seven Domains, 37 Strands, and 37 Indicators for each Career Stage.
• The PPST serves as the basis for teacher learning and development programs, ensuring proper K to 12 implementation.
• Teacher performance appraisals are aligned with the PPST.
• The PPST can be utilized for teacher selection and promotion.

Development of the PPST

• The PPST was developed following consultations with key stakeholders, particularly senior Department of Education officials.
• Wide consultations highlighted the need to rethink the National Competency-Based Teacher Standards (NCBTS) due to national and global changes, including the K to 12 Reform, ASEAN Integration, globalization, and the evolving nature of 21st-century learners.
• The PPST replaces the NCBTS upon the signing of DepEd Order No. 42, S. 2017.
• The PPST offers a framework for teacher quality and development aligned with international standards.
• The PPST can be used for endorsing initial teacher education programs, registering and accrediting teachers, and raising the quality of professional learning.
• It identifies exemplary practices, develops leadership standards, establishes consistent evaluation processes for each Career Stage, and maintains documentation of Indicator achievements across Career Stages.
• Strong teachers are crucial for enhancing student achievement and long-term national development.
• The Department of Education, through the Joint Advisory Board, approved the development and validation of teacher standards for different career stages.
• The Philippine National Research Center for Teacher Quality (RCTQ) at the Philippine Normal University led the PPST's research, supported by the SiMERR National Research Centre in Australia.
• DepEd Regional Directors, Bureau Directors, and teachers finalized the PPST during a workshop organized by the Teacher Education Council, supported by the Basic Education Sector Transformation program.
• The PPST's development and validation involved over 10,000 educators, including pre- and in-service teachers, principals, supervisors, and DepEd Regional Directors, across all regions for three years.
• Government agencies (e.g., Professional Regulation Commission, Commission on Higher Education, Civil Service Commission) and non-government organizations (e.g., Philippine Business for Education, Foundation for Upgrading the Standard of Education) participated in the Reference Panel.
• The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) funded the PPST project, supporting the Research Center for Teacher Quality.

Key Features of the PPST

• The PPST addresses teacher quality requirements in the K to 12 program, focusing on using the mother tongue in teaching, supporting learners in difficult circumstances, promoting literacy and numeracy, utilizing ICT positively, and fostering effective classroom communication.
• Content Knowledge and Pedagogy is a core domain of the PPST, highlighting the importance of teachers knowing what and how to teach for quality instruction in the K to 12 Program.
• The four career stages within the PPST include Beginning, Proficient, Highly Proficient, and Distinguished, with 37 indicators per stage showing developmental progression.

PPST Domains and Qualities

• The seven Domains of the PPST are: Content Knowledge and Pedagogy, Learning Environment, Diversity of Learners, Curriculum and Planning, Assessment and Reporting, Community Linkages and Professional Engagement, and Personal Growth and Professional Development.
• Teachers should know what to teach and how, maintain a learning-focused environment, respond to learner diversity, plan effective instruction, use varied assessment tools, build community relationships, uphold ethics, reflect professionally, and take responsibility for their learning.
• The four Career Stages are Beginning Teachers (Career Stage 1), Proficient Teachers (Career Stage 2), Highly Proficient Teachers (Career Stage 3), and Distinguished Teachers (Career Stage 4).
• Beginning Teachers, upon entry into the profession, are supported to reach Career Stage 2 within 2-3 years.
• Proficient Teachers are professionally independent, showcasing acceptable teaching standards within the first two to three years.
• Highly Proficient Teachers consistently perform at a high level, mentoring and collaborating with colleagues, often the expected stage for Master Teachers.
• Distinguished Teachers embody the highest teaching standards, recognized as educational leaders and contributors, initiating collaborations and partnerships.
• Career Stages importance lies in providing a teacher development continuum framework, promoting lifelong learning and articulating developmental progression amidst educational reforms.

Teacher Assessment based on the PPST

• RCTQ, with the DepEd Bureau of Human Resource and Organization Development (BHROD) and the BEST program, developed PPST-based assessment tools.
• Validated tools include Self-Assessment Tools (SAT), Classroom Observation Tools (COT), and Results-based Performance Management System (RPMS) Tools for Teachers.
• Educators can create their own PPST-based tools, ensuring they align with DepEd Order No. 42, S. 2017.
• Locally produced, unvalidated tools may have questionable reliability.
• The PPST is not a rubric for teacher assessment, however, it can be used as a framework for self-assessment, classroom observation, and RPMS tools.
• Teachers are assessed only on relevant indicators based on their school context; pre-service teachers in Teacher Education Institutions (TEIs) are trained on all indicators to prepare them for diverse contexts.
• The Results-based Performance Management System (RPMS) Tools based on PPST include specific Means of Verification (MOV) for its 12 indicators.
• Classroom Observation Tools also offer specific classroom practice examples to guide observers.
• Policies on using PPST assessment tools for hiring and promotion are still in development.