DO 52, s.

2015 - New Organizational Structures of the

Central, Regional, and Schools Division Offices of the
Department of Education
To:

Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services, Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division Superintendents
Heads, Public Elementary and Secondary Schools
All Others Concerned
A. Background
1. In August 2001, Republic Act No. 9155 (RA 9155), An Act Instituting A Framework of
Governance for Basic Education, Establishing Authority and Accountability, Renaming the
Department of Education, Culture and Sports as the Department of Education, and for Other
Purposes, otherwise known as the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001, was issued. It
provided a framework for the governance of education, decentralizing governance to the field,
and making the schools and learning centers the heart of the education system. The law also
established the authority and accountability of the various organization levels of the Department
of Education (DepEd).
2. In October 2004, Executive Order No. 366 (EO 366, s. 2004), Directing A Strategic Review of
the Operations and Organizations of the Executive Branch and Providing Options and
Incentives for Government Employees Who May Be Affected by the Rationalization of the
Functions and Agencies of the Executive Branch, was issued. According to Section 2 of the said
EO, the initiative aimed to: (a) focus government efforts and resources on its vital/core service;
and (b) improve the quality and efficiency of government services delivery by
eliminating/minimizing overlaps and duplication, and improving agency performance through
the rationalization of service delivery and support systems, and organization structure and
staffing (Section 2, EO 366, s. 2004).
3. In December 2011, DepEd embarked on the review and revision of its Rationalization Plan (RP)
based on RA 9155 and long-term reforms needed in the education sector to respond to fastchanging demands of the local and global environment.
4. On November 15, 2013, the DepEd Rationalization Plan (RP) was approved by the Department
of Budget and Management (DBM). The approval included the rationalized structure and staffing
pattern of offices at the central, regional, and schools division levels.
B. Rationale of the Organizational Structures
1. The rationalized organizational structures and staffing patterns were a result of the thorough
study of the DepEd Change Management Team (CMT) on the current structures, functions and
staffing complement of the DepEd offices vis--vis the long-term education reforms,
requirements of the learners and the changing environment, and national government policies.
2. The approved organizational structures are consistent with the provisions of RA 9155 in applying
the principles of decentralization and shared governance to ensure accountability and relevance
to the context, and development needs of the learners and stakeholders of the various
organizational levels.
3. In developing the organizational structures, the DepEd CMT also identified the themes or
organizational strands common to all levels of the Department. These organizational strands

reflect the similarity of functions and objectives of offices and units. The organizational strands
are as follows:
a. Office of the Secretary;
The Office of the Secretary (OSec) provides overall leadership and
direction at the national level. Attached and support agencies to DepEd
are included under the OSec.
a. Curriculum and Instruction;
This strand ensures that the organization focuses on the delivery of a
relevant, responsive, and effective basic education curriculum around
which all other strands and offices provide support.
a. Strategic Management;
This strand enables the organization to focus on long-term directions and
interface with the internal and external environment and stakeholders.
a. Governance and Operations;
This strand ensures the capacity of the organization to continuously
improve and be strategic in managing the environment for which teaching
and learning takes place.
In accordance with RA 9155, the Secretary of Education delegates the
supervision of field offices (regional and schools division offices) to
the Undersecretary for Governance and Operations.
1. The Office of the Regional Director provides leadership and management of the Departments mandate
at the regional level; and
2. The Office of the Schools Division Superintendent provides local management and administration of the
Departments mandate at the schools division level.
a. Legal and Legislative Affairs;
This strand enhances capacity of the organization to deal with legal
matters and to be proactive in moving forward its legislative agenda.
a. Finance and Administration:
This strand ensures the efficiency to support the organization as a whole
to focus on its core business and thus attain its targets through the
provision of finance and administrative services.
1. The following organizational actions were taken on the existing offices:
a.
b.
c.
d.

Offices to be retained or renamed in the new structure;

Offices to be transferred to other bureaus/services or organizational strands;
Offices to be merged or consolidated due to similarity in objectives or functions;
Offices to be upgraded or elevated to address critical functions or adhere to existing
government issuances;
e. Offices to be abolished but whose functions will be absorbed by other offices in the rationalized
structure; and
f. Offices to be created to address critical functions performed by ad hoc committees or prescribed
by government issuances.
1. Based on these actions, the following information are included in this Order:

a. Enclosure No. 1 presents the actions taken on the existing offices at the central, regional and
schools division levels;
b. Enclosure No. 2 presents the official organizational structures for the DepEd central, regional,
and schools division offices;
c. Enclosure No. 3 presents the counterpart offices of each organizational level according to the
organizational strands; and
d. Enclosure No. 4 presents the general functions of each office in the each organizational level.
1. The regional and schools division offices are categorized based on size classification. The size
classification will also determine the minimum staffing complement allocated to the following offices;
a. Regional offices (ROs) shall be classified as small, medium or large; and
b. Schools division offices (SDOs) shall be classified as small, medium, large, or very large.
1. New offices to be established shall follow the approved organizational and staffing standards agreed
upon by the DepEd and DBM.
A. Transitory Provisions
1. Given the changes in the organizational structures and functions of DepEd offices, the offices are
given until the end of December 2015 to complete their transition and be operational in the
rationalized structures. The completion of the transition may be in different paces for offices due
to their nature and scope and their respective transition processes.
2. The new Bureau of Human Resource and Organization Development (BHROD), under the
Office of the Undersecretary for Governance and Operations, shall take the lead in managing the
transition of offices and personnel to the rationalized structures. This shall be done in
collaboration with the heads of offices for each strand/bureau/ service/division/unit.
3. The BHROD shall identify appropriate strategies and mechanisms in the following areas:
a. Personnel actions e.g. placement, transfers, etc.;
b. Human resource development programs e.g. recruitment and selection, onboarding and
capacity building;
c. Physical infrastructure and locations of offices;
d. Identification, revision and mapping of core work processes and systems;
e. Role clarification of personnel and offices based on the new functions;
f. Policy review and adjustments; and
g. Communications and management of change.
1. The new organizational structures, as indicated in Enclosure No. 2, shall take effect no later
than January 01, 2016.
a. The following indicators shall signify that an office has transitioned to the new
organizational structure:
1. The office is using the retained or new office title indicated in the approved
organizational structure;
2. Personnel have been notified of their placement to the retained or new offices in
the approved organizational structure;
3. The office is utilizing the approved staffing pattern in the recruitment and
selection process;

a. In support of the offices and personnel in this period of change, capacity development
activities shall continue as necessary after the said date.
1. As there will be vacancies due to the retirement, resignation or promotion of incumbents, the
filling up of vacant positions shall continue to proceed through the regular recruitment and
selection process.
2. For the DepEd Central Office, the following guidelines shall be followed:
a. Communications will be addressed to the heads of offices;
b. For new offices and those with no authorized head of office, the Secretary shall designate
an officer-in-charge to lead the bureau/service and manage the transition activities;
c. Personnel transferring to other offices may already do so provided the following
conditions are present:
1. Agreements have been made with the current office on the completion of
deliverables and proper turnover of responsibilities to ensure smooth transition
and continuity of program operations; and
2. Availability of physical space in the recipient office to accommodate the
transferring of employee/s.
d. Movements of offices to new locations shall be on a staggered basis depending on the
schedule of physical renovations and repairs.
1. The new organizational structures, as indicated in Enclosure No. 2, at the central, regional and
schools division levels shall supercede previous issuances and policies pertaining to the old titles
and functions of the offices.
2. All existing DepEd Memoranda, Orders and other administrative issuances of similar nature,
which are inconsistent with this Order, are hereby deemed repealed and superceded accordingly.
3. Immediate dissemination of and strict compliance with this Order is directed.

(Sgd.) BR. ARMIN A. LUISTRO FSC

Secretary

School Leaders
Board of Education The board of education is ultimately responsible for most decision making in a school.
The board of education is made up of elected community members most usually consisting of 5 members. The
eligibility requirement of a board member varies by state. The board of education generally meets once per
month. They are responsible for hiring the district superintendent. They also generally take into account the
recommendations of the superintendent in the decision making process.
Superintendent The superintendent oversees the daily operations of the school district as a whole. They are
generally responsible for providing recommendations to the school board in a variety of areas. The
superintendents primary responsibility is handling the financial matters of the school district. They also lobby
on behalf of their district with the State government.
Assistant Superintendent A smaller district may not have any assistant superintendents, but a large district may
have several.
The assistant superintendent oversees a specific part or parts of a school districts daily operations. For example,
there may be an assistant superintendent for curriculum and another assistant superintendent for transportation.
The assistant superintendent is overseen by the district superintendent.
Principal The principal oversees the daily operations of an individual school building within a district. The
principal is primarily in charge overseeing the students and faculty/staff in that building. They are also
responsible for building community relationships within their area. The principal is often responsible for
interviewing prospective candidates for job openings within their building as well as making recommendations
to the superintendent for hiring a new teacher.
Assistant Principal A smaller district may not have any assistant principals, but a large district may have
several. The assistant principal may oversee a specific part or parts of a schools daily operations. For example,
there may be an assistant superintendent who oversees all student discipline either for the entire school or for a
particular grade depending on the size of the school. The assistant principal is overseen by the building
principal.
Athletic Director The athletic director oversees all of the athletic programs in the district. The athletic director
is often the person in charge of all the athletic scheduling. They also often have their hand in the hiring process
of new coaches and/or the removal of a coach from their coaching duties. The athletic director also oversees the
spending of the athletic department.
School Faculty
Teacher Teachers are responsible for providing the students they serve with direct instruction in the area of
content in which they specialize. The teacher is expected to use district approved curriculum to meet state
objectives within that content area. The teacher is responsible for building relationships with parents of children
which they serve.
Counselor A counselors job is often multifaceted. A counselor provides counseling services for students who
may struggle academically, have a rough home life, may have gone through a difficult situation, etc. A
counselor also provides academic counseling setting student schedules, getting students scholarships, preparing
them for life after high school, etc. In some cases, a counselor may also serve as the testing coordinator for their
school.

Special Education A special education teacher is responsible for providing the students they serve with direct
instruction in the area of content with which the student has an identified learning disability. The special
education teacher is responsible for writing, reviewing, and implementing all Individual Education Plans (IEP)
for students served. They also are responsible for scheduling meetings for IEPs.
Speech Therapist A speech therapist is responsible for identifying students who need speech related services.
They are also responsible for providing the specific services needed to those students identified. Finally, they
are responsible for writing, reviewing, and implementing all speech related IEPs.
Occupational Therapist An occupational therapist is responsible for identifying students who need
occupational therapy related services. They are also responsible for providing the specific services needed to
those students identified.
Physical Therapist - A physical therapist is responsible for identifying students who need physical therapy
related services. They are also responsible for providing the specific services needed to those students
identified.
Alternative Education An alternative education teacher is responsible for providing the students they serve
with direct instruction. The students they serve often cannot function in a regular classroom often because of
discipline related issues, so the alternative education teacher has to be extremely structured and a strong
disciplinarian.
Library/Media Specialist A library media specialist oversees the operation of the library including the
organization, ordering of books, checking out of books, return of books, and re-shelving of books. The library
media specialist also works directly with the classroom teachers to provide assistance in anything associated
with the library. They also are responsible for teaching students library related skills and creating programs that
develop lifelong readers.
Reading Specialist A reading specialist works with students who have been identified as struggling readers in
a one-on-one or small group setting. A reading specialist assists the teacher in identifying students who are
struggling readers as well as finding the specific area within reading which they struggle. A reading specialists
goal is to get each student they work with on grade level for reading.
Intervention Specialist An intervention specialist is much like a reading specialist. However, they are not just
limited to reading and may assists students who struggle in many areas including reading, math, science, social
studies, etc. They often fall under the direct supervision of the classroom teacher.
Coach A coach oversees the day to day operations of a specific sports program. Their duties can include
organizing practice, scheduling, ordering equipment, and coaching games. They are also in charge of specific
game planning including scouting, game strategy, substitution patterns, player discipline, etc.
Assistant Coach An assistant coach helps the head coach in whatever capacity the head coach directs them.
They often suggest game strategy, help organize practice, and assist with scouting as needed.
School Support Staff
Administrative Assistant An administrative assistant is one of the most important positions in the entire school.
A school administrative assistant often knows the day-to-day operations of a school as well as anyone. They are
also the person who communicates most often with parents. Their job includes answering phones, mailing
letters, organizing files, and a host of other duties. A good administrative assistant screens for the school
administrator and makes their job as a whole a lot easier.

Encumbrance Clerk The encumbrance clerk has one of the most difficult jobs in the entire school. The
encumbrance clerk is not only in charge of school payroll and billing, but a host of other financial
responsibilities. The encumbrance clerk has to be able to account for every cent a school has spent and received.
An encumbrance clerk must be organized and must stay current with all laws dealing with school finance.
School Nutritionist A school nutritionist is responsible for creating a menu that meets state nutrition standards
for all meals served at school. They are also responsible for ordering the food that will be served. They also
collect and keep up with all monies taken in and spent by the nutrition program. A school nutritionist is also
responsible for keeping track of which students are eating and for which students qualifies for free/reduced
lunches.
Teachers Aide A teachers aide assist a classroom teacher in a variety of areas that can include making copies,
grading papers, working with small groups of students, contacting parents, and a variety of other tasks.
Paraprofessional A paraprofessional is a trained individual who assists a special education teacher with their
day-to-day operations. A paraprofessional may be assigned to one particular student or may help with a class a
whole. A paraprofessional works in support of the teacher and does not provide direct instruction themselves.
Nurse A school nurse provides general first aid for students in the school. The nurse may also administer
medication to students who need it or are required medication. A school nurse keeps pertinent records on when
they see students, what they saw, and how they treated it. A school nurse may also teach students about health
and health related issues.
Cook A cook is responsible for the preparation and serving of food to the entire school. A cook is also
responsible for the process of cleaning up the kitchen and the cafeteria.
Custodian A custodian is responsible for the day-to-day cleaning of the school building as a whole. Their
duties include vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, cleaning bathrooms, emptying trash, etc. They may also assist in
other areas such as mowing, moving heavy items, etc.
Maintenance Maintenance is responsible for keeping all the physical operations of a school running. If
something is broke, then maintenance is responsible for repairing it. These may including electrical and
lighting, air and heating, and mechanical issues.
Computer Technician A computer technician is responsible for assisting school personnel with any computer
issue or question that may arise. Those may include issues with email, internet, viruses, etc. A computer
technician should provide service and maintenance to all school computers to keep them running so that they
may be used as needed. They are also responsible for server maintenance and the installation of filter programs
and features.
Bus Driver A bus driver provides safe transportation for students to and from school.