TL;DR: DepEd computes a student's grade from Written Work, Performance Tasks, and Quarterly Assessment (renamed Written/Oral Works, Performance Tasks, and Examinations under the new order), weighted differently by subject, under DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015, still in effect for SY 2025-2026. A weighted "Initial Grade" is converted through a transmutation table into the report card grade, with 75 as the universal passing mark. Starting SY 2026-2027, DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 reweights components, renames the descriptor bands, drops numeric grades for Kindergarten to Grade 3, and begins phasing out transmutation entirely by SY 2027-2028.
Every DepEd report card grade traces back to the same basic formula: raw scores from classroom assessments, weighted by component and subject, added up, and in most cases run through a conversion table before they show up as a final number. Parents searching "how are DepEd grades computed" usually want to know exactly what a 78 or an 85 on their child's Form 138 actually represents. This guide walks through the current system under DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015, the weight tables by subject and grade level, a worked example, and the changes coming under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 for school year 2026-2027 onward.
How Does DepEd Compute a Student's Grade?
DepEd computes a grade in four steps: scoring each assessment component, converting raw scores to percentage scores, applying the subject's component weights, and adding the weighted scores into an Initial Grade, which is then run through the transmutation table to produce the number that appears on the report card.
Concretely, per DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015:
- Get the total raw score for each component (Written Work, Performance Tasks, Quarterly Assessment) across all the period's assessments in that component.
- Convert to a Percentage Score by dividing the raw score by the highest possible score, then multiplying by 100%.
- Convert to a Weighted Score by multiplying the Percentage Score by that component's weight for the subject (see tables below).
- Add the Weighted Scores across all three components to get the learner's Initial Grade for the quarter.
- Transmute the Initial Grade using the DepEd Transmutation Table to arrive at the Quarterly Grade that appears on the report card.
For Grades 1-10, the Final Grade in a subject is the average of that subject's four Quarterly Grades across the school year, and the General Average is the sum of all subjects' Final Grades divided by the number of learning areas. For Grades 11-12, two quarters make up a semester, and the semester grade determines whether the learner completes that subject.
Disclaimer: grading policy is transitioning between DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015 and DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 during SY 2026-2027. Confirm with your child's school which order applies to their grade level this school year.
What Are the Component Weights by Subject? (DO 8, s. 2015)
Weights differ by subject group because DepEd treats some learning areas as more skills/output-based (like MAPEH or EPP/TLE) and others as more knowledge-based (like Math or Science), giving each a different mix of Written Work, Performance Tasks, and Quarterly Assessment.
| Grade Level / Subject Group | Written Work | Performance Tasks | Quarterly Assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grades 1-10: Languages, Araling Panlipunan, EsP | 30% | 50% | 20% |
| Grades 1-10: Science, Mathematics | 40% | 40% | 20% |
| Grades 1-10: MAPEH, EPP/TLE | 20% | 60% | 20% |
| SHS: Core Subjects | 25% | 50% | 25% |
| SHS: Academic Track (non-core) | 25% | 45% | 30% |
| SHS: TVL / Sports / Arts & Design Tracks | 35% | 40% | 25% |
| SHS: Work Immersion / Research / Exhibit | 20% | 60% | 20% |
Notice Performance Tasks carry the biggest share almost everywhere, from 40% up to 60%, which is why projects, hands-on outputs, recitations, and group work tend to move a grade more than a single quiz does.
A Worked Example: From Raw Scores to a Quarterly Grade
Take a Grade 8 student in Araling Panlipunan (Written Work 30%, Performance Tasks 50%, Quarterly Assessment 20%):
| Component | Raw Score | Highest Possible Score | Percentage Score | Weight | Weighted Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written Work | 42 | 50 | 84.00% | 30% | 25.20 |
| Performance Tasks | 88 | 100 | 88.00% | 50% | 44.00 |
| Quarterly Assessment | 33 | 40 | 82.50% | 20% | 16.50 |
| Initial Grade | 85.70 |
That 85.70 Initial Grade is then run through the transmutation table: under the DO 8, s. 2015 table, an Initial Grade in the 84.00-85.59 range transmutes to 90, so this student's Quarterly Grade in AP for that period would be 90, an "Outstanding" descriptor. The same raw scores, run under the new SY 2026-2027 adjusted table (which uses a different set of brackets), would land in a different published bracket — a reminder that the transmutation step, not just the raw scores, changes the final number a parent sees.
What Do the Grade Descriptors Mean? (DO 8, s. 2015)
Under the outgoing system, every numeric grade from 75 to 100 maps to one of five descriptors, and 75 is the universal passing mark across all grade levels and subjects.
| Grade Range | Descriptor | Remark |
|---|---|---|
| 90-100 | Outstanding | Passed |
| 85-89 | Very Satisfactory | Passed |
| 80-84 | Satisfactory | Passed |
| 75-79 | Fairly Satisfactory | Passed |
| Below 75 | Did Not Meet Expectations | Failed |
What Changes Under DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026?
Starting school year 2026-2027, DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 — the "Revised Guidelines on Classroom Assessment, Grading Systems and Awards and Recognition for the Revised K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum" — replaces DO 8, s. 2015 in step with the MATATAG curriculum rollout. Education Secretary Sonny Angara framed the reform directly: "Dapat nakabatay sa tunay na pagkatuto ang pag-akyat ng bata sa susunod na grade level" (a learner's advancement should be based on real learning), pointing to concerns about grade inflation and inconsistent promotion standards under the old system.
Four changes matter most for parents:
| What Changed | Old (DO 8, s. 2015) | New (DO 015, s. 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Component names | Written Work, Performance Tasks, Quarterly Assessment | Written/Oral Works (WWs), Product/Performance Tasks (PTs), Examinations (Summative Tests + Term Exam) |
| Core subject weights | 30/50/20 or 40/40/20 depending on subject | 20% WWs / 50% PTs / 30% Exams (core); 20/60/20 for TLE-MAPEH |
| Grade descriptors | Outstanding, Very Satisfactory, Satisfactory, Fairly Satisfactory, Did Not Meet Expectations | Advancing (90-100), Benchmarking (80-89), Connecting (75-79), Developing (65-74), Emerging (0-64) |
| Transmutation | Full table down to a raw score of 60 producing a passing 75 | Adjusted table for SY 2026-2027 requiring a raw score of 70 to pass at 75; removed entirely for Grades 4-12 in SY 2027-2028 |
For Kindergarten and Grade 1, numeric grades disappear altogether starting SY 2026-2027, replaced by qualitative descriptors: Consistent, Developing, and Beginning. Grade 2 shifts to descriptive reporting in SY 2027-2028, and Grade 3 in SY 2028-2029, completing the change for what DepEd now calls Key Stage 1 learners. Academic excellence awards for Kindergarten through Grade 3 are also being replaced with Character Traits recognition instead of numeric honors.
For Grades 4-12, numeric grades stay, but honors criteria tighten: a General Average of 90 or higher with no Final Grade below 80 is now required for Academic Excellence recognition, and DepEd has dropped strict ranking of learners for honors in favor of threshold-based categories (With Honors, With High Honors, With Highest Honors).
Disclaimer: DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026 was issued June 4, 2026 for effectivity in SY 2026-2027; some transitional details are still being clarified through follow-up memoranda as the MATATAG curriculum phases in by grade level. Confirm which grading rules apply to your child's specific grade with the school.
What Should Parents Watch For This School Year?
- Ask which grading order applies to your child. Because MATATAG and the new grading order roll out by grade level and year, a Grade 4 student and a Grade 9 student at the same school may be graded under different rules in the same school year.
- Don't assume a "75" means barely passing. Under the outgoing transmutation table, a raw score well below 75% can still transmute to a 75 on the report card; under the new adjusted table, the raw floor for a passing 75 rises to 70%, and drops to no adjustment at all by SY 2027-2028.
- For Kindergarten to Grade 3 parents, expect a narrative report, not a number, as the descriptive-grading rollout reaches your child's grade level.
- Performance Tasks matter the most in almost every subject. If a child is missing projects, outputs, or performance-based requirements, that's usually a bigger drag on the grade than a single low quiz score.
- A Final Grade below 75 in any subject is worth addressing early, both because it affects promotion and because it may make a learner eligible for the ARAL tutoring program in reading, math, or science.
For more on the grading overhaul itself and how it fits into the broader curriculum changes, see our breakdown of the new DepEd grading system for SY 2026-2027 and our parent's guide to the Philippine education system.
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Sources
- DepEd Order No. 8, s. 2015 — Policy Guidelines on Classroom Assessment for the K to 12 Basic Education Program (official)
- DepEd K to 12 Grading System Steps for Computing Grades — TeacherPH
- Per DepEd Order No. 8, S. 2015: Araling Panlipunan Performance Task weights — I Love DepEd
- DepEd Grading System and Grade Transmutation Table (2026 Update) — Alapan I ES
- DepEd Order No. 015, series 2026 overview — Aptikons
- DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026: Revised Grading System Guidelines — Tchersden
- DepEd Order No. 015, s. 2026: Revised Grading System Guidelines & Electronic Class Record — DepEd Tambayan PH
- DepEd to phase out grade transmutation in public schools — GMA News Online
- SchoolFinderPH — DepEd Transmutation Table Explained
- SchoolFinderPH — SF9 Report Card Guide
- SchoolFinderPH — MATATAG Curriculum Guide
