The Role of Curriculum, Advocacy, Research and Empowerment (CARE) in Enhancing Teachers' Performance at the Antipolo City SPED Center

Abstract

This study addresses the need to strengthen inclusive education support systems for Special Education teachers at the Antipolo City SPED Center, in alignment with Republic Act No. 11650, known as the Inclusive Education Act of 2021. While national policy mandates inclusive education for all learners with disabilities, successful implementation depends largely on prepared, confident, and well-supported special education teachers. However, there remains limited empirical evidence regarding school-based frameworks that integrate curriculum, advocacy, research, and empowerment as a unified support model for special education teachers in the Philippine context. This study therefore examines teachers’ perceptions of the Curriculum, Advocacy, Research, and Empowerment framework in relation to four key dimensions of teacher performance: self-efficacy, inclusive teaching strategies, collaboration, and job satisfaction and well-being. Utilizing a descriptive quantitative research design, the study involved all 25 regular special education teachers employed at the Antipolo City SPED Center during School Year 2025–2026, selected through total enumeration sampling. Data were gathered using a structured survey questionnaire adapted from validated instruments measuring teacher efficacy and job satisfaction, modified to align with the framework’s four pillars. The instrument employed a four-point Likert scale and was reviewed by three experts in special education; reliability testing yielded a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of 0.87. Data were analyzed using weighted mean and standard deviation. Results revealed that participating teachers perceived the framework as having a very high influence on their self-efficacy, with an overall weighted mean of 3.58; a very high extent of support in implementing inclusive teaching strategies, with a mean of 3.44; a very high level of promotion of collaboration, with a mean of 3.58; and a very high association with job satisfaction and well-being, with a mean of 3.65. All dimensions fell within the “Very High” descriptive range. These findings indicate a strong perceived association between participation in the framework and positive teacher outcomes, although causal relationships cannot be established under the present study design. The study concludes that the framework shows potential as a comprehensive support system for special education teachers and recommends its institutionalization, further resource allocation, and replication across other inclusive education settings, alongside larger-scale and longitudinal investigation.