Around the world, education systems continue to rebuild learners’ foundational skills after significant academic disruptions. The Philippines is one of the countries implementing robust, nationwide learning recovery initiatives—most notably through the Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program. On November 17, 2025, the Department of Education (DepEd) officially released Memorandum DM-OUIS-2025-166, outlining clear guidelines for administering Check-In Assessments across Grades 1 to 10.
For U.S. educators, literacy specialists, and education policy researchers, this memo provides an excellent case study of large-scale progress monitoring within a national intervention program. Below is an in-depth, EEAT-based, SEO-friendly breakdown of what the memo includes—and why it matters.
What is the ARAL Program?
The Academic Recovery and Accessible Learning (ARAL) Program is the Philippines’ nationwide intervention effort designed to rebuild students’ literacy and numeracy skills. Similar to U.S. models like:
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Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
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Tier 2 and Tier 3 literacy interventions
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Reading Recovery
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Accelerated learning labs
ARAL provides targeted sessions for struggling learners, using structured lessons and regular progress monitoring.
The newly issued memorandum emphasizes the crucial role of Check-In Assessments in tracking how well learners respond to interventions.
Who Is the Memo For?
DepEd directs the memo to:
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Regional Directors
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Schools Division Superintendents
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Regional and Division ARAL Focal Persons
This shows the memo’s national scale—similar to state-level mandates distributed to district superintendents in the United States.
How Often Check-In Assessments Must Be Conducted
DepEd divides the required assessment frequency by Key Stage, similar to “grade bands” in U.S. school systems.
Key Stage 1 (Grades 1–3)
Frequency: After every 8 ARAL sessions
Tools:
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KS1 Teacher’s Guide Annexes
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Filipino (pp. 37–49)
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English (pp. 46–54)
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These are aligned with early literacy development—echoing U.S. universal screeners like DIBELS or Acadience Reading.
Key Stages 2–3 (Grades 4–10)
Frequency: After every 16 sessions
Assessment Tools:
DepEd provides two sets of Check-In assessments:
1. ARAL-Reading Basic Check-In Assessments
📌 Link: https://tinyurl.com/ARAL-KS2-3Check-ins
2. ARAL-Reading Plus Check-In Assessments
📌 Link: https://tinyurl.com/ARAL-KS2-3Check-ins
Both tools come from the same official resource link shared by the DepEd Central Office.
These assessments measure reading comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency—skills that saw worldwide declines across middle-grade learners during the pandemic years.
Standardized Tools With Local Flexibility
DepEd requires all schools to use the Central Office-prescribed tools to ensure uniform monitoring.
However, schools may use:
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Regionally developed tools
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Division-created tools
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School-designed assessment tools
…as long as they are aligned with the content and standards of the official DepEd tools.
This balance of national standardization and local autonomy mirrors U.S. education structures, where states define required assessments but districts may supplement them with their own diagnostics.
The Role of the IRIP (Individualized Reading Intervention Plan)
One of the most important elements in the memo is the mandate to use the Individualized Reading Intervention Plan (IRIP) to respond to assessment findings. IRIPs are created based on Check-In Assessment results and help teachers tailor reading interventions for struggling learners.
The memo provides official access to both:
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ARAL-Reading Basic IRIP templates
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ARAL-Reading Plus IRIP templates
📌 IRIP Templates & ARAL Reading Resources:
https://tinyurl.com/ARAL-ReadingResources
(See the “Supplementary Materials” folder.)
This structured approach is similar to:
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Personalized Learning Plans (PLPs)
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IEP-aligned reading goals
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Tiered intervention plans
…commonly used in U.S. public schools.
Why the Memo Matters — Nationally and Internationally
The 2025 guidelines stand out for several reasons:
1. Focused on Foundational Reading
Globally, literacy loss has been the most persistent academic challenge. DepEd’s emphasis on reading mirrors U.S. and international priorities.
2. Systematic Monitoring
Regular Check-In Assessments ensure that student progress is not assumed—it is measured.
3. Accessible Tools
Providing everything through shortened links demonstrates DepEd’s push to ensure digital accessibility in all regions.
4. IRIP Integration
Assessment results are not just collected—they directly inform intervention plans.
5. Whole-Nation Alignment
With Regional Directors, Division Superintendents, and ARAL focal persons included, the memo ensures systemwide compliance and coordinated recovery efforts.
Contact Information
Schools with questions are directed to reach out through DepEd’s official ARAL Program Secretariat:
This centralized support system helps maintain consistent implementation nationwide—similar to state-led support networks for U.S. academic recovery programs.
DepEd’s Memorandum DM-OUIS-2025-166 provides a strong framework for literacy recovery through structured, recurring assessments. By defining clear schedules, supplying official tools, and integrating IRIPs, the Philippines sets an example of a national education system proactively addressing learning gaps through targeted monitoring.
For U.S.-based educators examining global approaches to closing learning gaps, the ARAL Program’s Check-In Assessment system offers a compelling model—combining standardization, teacher guidance, accessible tools, and individualized planning.
