To: Undersecretaries
Assistant Secretaries
Bureau Directors
Directors of Services/Centers and Heads of Units
Regional Directors
Schools Division/City Superintendents

1. With the enactment of RA 9155 or the Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001 and the issuance of its Implementing Rules and Regulations, the functions of Public School District Supervisors (PSDS) have been spelled out. However there are continuing concerns in the field about how best to utilize such personnel in relation to the policy of strengthening school-based management in line with the Schools First Initiative. There are also issues related to their administrative relationship with school heads. Moreover, the DepEd Rationalization Program calls for ensuring the optimal utilization of all personnel in the education organization and focusing their roles towards the attainment of improved educational outcomes.
2. In view of these developments, Schools Division Superintendents are hereby directed to undertake the following:
   1. analyze the existing situation in the division especially with regard to current levels of school participation, completion and achievement and identify its implications on requirements for, among others, enhanced instructional supervision and school- based management.
   2. assess the existing complement of District Supervisors in terms of their expertise and experience and their potential contribution to activities of the division aimed at improving educational outcomes.
   3. recommend the deployment of incumbent District Supervisors according to the best role for each one given their respective backgrounds, considering the following options on their assignment:
      c.1 serve as subject area specialists or grade level specialists similar to division supervisors but assigned to a specific geographical area;
      c.2. serve as the principal of a school where the principal position is about to be vacated;
      c.3. serve temporarily as the principal of a cluster of schools without a principal or head teacher (via a designation by the superintendent) until such time that principal or head teacher positions are provided to such schools;
      c.4. assist newly-appointed principals or head teachers as their mentor for a maximum period of one year during the induction phase of their tenure; and
      c.5. serve as the staff of the superintendent in the municipality to lead municipal planning activities and as the representative of schools in the municipality in the Local School Board, but without any administrative supervisory authority over schools.
3. In the assignment of district supervisors, consideration shall also be given to the physical area and geography of the schools division. The following guidelines shall apply:
   1. For large (Class B) and extra large (Class A) divisions, a district supervisor shall be assigned to every school district.
   2. For small (Class D) and mid-sized (Class C) divisions, a district supervisor shall be assigned to a school district if the district: 1) is on a separate small island or in a peninsula, or on a mountainous area, and 2) covers schools that require extended travel (more than 30 minutes) to the division office.
   3. Districts where the schools are within 30 minutes travel to the division office shall not be assigned a district supervisor.
4. The Schools Division Superintendent shall draw up a deployment plan for district supervisors based on the above instructions/guidelines and submit the same to their Regional Office not later than June 15, 2005. Consultations with the concerned personnel should be undertaken in the process of preparing the deployment plan.
5. For immediate dissemination and strict compliance of all concerned.

Reference: DepED Order: No. 1, s. 2003
Allotment: 1–(D.0.50-97)

To be indicated in the Perpetual Index under the following subjects:
OFFICIALS
POLICY

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