ABSTRACT

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT (CI) PROGRAMS IN DEPED SOX

Melvin A. Garcia and Ernie C. Cerado

This descriptive study explored the existing DepEd Continuous

Improvement (CI) programs among SBM Level 3 secondary schools in SOX
or SOCCSKSARGEN Region. It utilized both perception and evidence-based
evaluation tools to define the implementation of these programs. Participants
included 6 Masters, and 30 implementers from the school-based CI teams.
Findings revealed that the developed evidence-based evaluation tool has
high validity in content, relevance, and acceptability; thus, fitting to assess the
program implementation. CI teams perceived their programs to be very well
implemented in the dimensions of strategic management, change adoption,
stakeholder analysis, and CI sustainability, except only in operational
management. Nonetheless, the researchers’ evaluation showed that schools
have evidence of outstanding program implementation due to its well-
presented, organized, and functional documents true to each dimension.
Overall, the researchers’ evaluation is relatively higher than the CI teams. It
goes to show that evidence-based tool can provide a higher and more precise
rating compared to a perception-based as it can generate comprehensive,
bias-free, and objective evaluation result. Despite some repetitive issues and
concerns that were identified, however the CI teams achieved and sustained
viable school development programs through their accounted best practices.