THE HOUSE of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill mandating a career progression system for primary, secondary, and senior high school teachers and defining a clear line of promotion for educators in the public education system.

With 197 votes, lawmakers approved House Bill No. 10270, or the proposed Career Progression System for Public School Teachers Act.

The bill institutionalizes a career progression system for public school teachers and creates a clear career progression line for educators within the public school system.

One of the salient provisions of HB 10270 is authorizing the Department of Budget and Management to create five new positions: Teacher IV, V, VI, VII, and Master Teacher V, and develop their compensations and salary grades.

It also allows incumbent head teachers to retain their positions and career progression lines under the current career progression, or otherwise apply for reclassification or retitling of their current position to the appropriate position under the Expanded Career Progression.

HB 10270 likewise prohibits the demotion in rank and diminution of salary, benefits, and other privileges of incumbent employees granted under existing laws.

It prescribes that teachers shall be promoted based on merit, fitness, and competence after a Comprehensive Performance Assessment, and, as a consequence, natural vacancy, quota, ratio-and-proportion, and the like shall no longer be considered a basis for promoting teachers.

Under the measure teachers who shall receive a grade of ineffective for two successive assessments are required to undergo a remedial program.