UDL School Implementation & Certification Criteria (UDL-SICC)

Criteria Overview

The UDL-SICC is built around four domains; School Culture and Environment, Teaching and Learning, Leadership and Management, and Professional Learning. They provide an organizational structure for thinking about schoolwide UDL implementation. Each domain is defined by its four elements, which guide implementation and are measured during certification.

The Four Domains
Icon representing School Culture and Environment. Connected silhouettes in front of a heart shape.
School Culture and Environment - Domain One

In a school that uses the UDL framework, the community works together to create a school culture that values equity, inclusion, and expert learning for all. The school community commits to design flexible, goal-directed experiences and environments that anticipate the variability of its members and has high expectations for all. 

  • Element 1: The school community designs a culture that supports inclusion and equity. 
     
  • Element 2: The school community designs a culture that supports expert learning. 
     
  • Element 3: The school community communicates in ways that reflect a commitment to UDL. 
     
  • Element 4: The school community designs school spaces to support variability.
Icon representing Teaching and Learning. Two silhouettes (one larger than the other) in front of a growing plant.
Teaching and Learning - Domain Two

In a school that uses the UDL framework, educators design learning opportunities that anticipate learner variability so every student can develop learning expertise. The UDL Guidelines are used proactively and iteratively to design curricular goals, assessments, methods, and materials to reduce barriers to learning. Rather than focus solely on classroom learning activities, a UDL school community views all interactions as learning opportunities and designs each with UDL’s inclusive principles in mind.

  • Element 1: Educators intentionally design learning experiences using evidence-based, high-leverage practices to address learner variability and reduce barriers. 
     
  • Element 2: Learning goals are clear, flexible, meaningful, and support high expectations for all.
     
  • Element 3: Educators incorporate evidence-based, high-leverage, flexible methods and materials that anticipate learner variability and reduce barriers. 
     
  • Element 4: Educators incorporate flexible assessments that are designed to support learner variability and reduce barriers to learning. 
Icon representing Leadership and Management. Three silhouettes, one raised above the others, with gears behind them.
Leadership and Management - Domain Three

In schools that use the UDL framework, leaders actively support and monitor UDL implementation across school settings. Using an iterative, data-driven design process, leaders model UDL practices and ensure that all learning environments and experiences, including school processes, procedures, and resources, are designed to anticipate learner variability by reducing barriers and promoting equity, inclusion, and expert learning for all.

  • Element 1: School leaders actively lead, support, and monitor UDL implementation across the school community.
     
  • Element 2: School leaders collaborate to design a systematic, goal-driven, UDL implementation process.
     
  • Element 3: School leaders collaborate to design school processes, procedures, and structures that anticipate learner variability and promote equity, inclusion, and expert learning.
     
  • Element 4: School leaders procure school and classroom resources that align with the UDL framework. 
Icon representing Professional Learning. A silhouette with a lightbulb above it in front of a brain.
Professional Learning - Domain Four

In a school that uses the UDL framework, professional learning opportunities are personalized and job-embedded, and they promote ongoing professional growth. Professional learning is designed and facilitated by UDL professionals to be flexible, data-driven, and goal-directed, and to promote the development of educators’ expertise.

  • Element 1: UDL professional learning is goal-driven.
     
  • Element 2: UDL professional learning is flexible in addressing staff variability.
     
  • Element 3: UDL professional learning supports expert learning.
     
  • Element 4: UDL professional learning integrates job-embedded support.
General Research and Reference for the UDL School Implementation & Certification Criteria (UDL-SICC)

Bandura A. (1997). Self-efficacy: The exercise of control. New York, NY: WH Freeman.

Basham, J. D., Stahl, S., Hall, T., & Carter Jr, R. A. (2017). Establishing a student-centered environment to support all learners. In C. M. Curran, & A. J. Petersen (Eds.), Handbook of research on classroom diversity and inclusive education practice (pp. 155–182). IGI Global.
https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-2520-2.ch007

Basham, J., Blackorby, J., & Marino, M. (2020). Opportunity in Crisis: The Role of Universal Design for Learning in Educational Redesign. Learning Disabilities: A Contemporary Journal, 18(1), 71–91.
https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ1264277

Fixsen, D., Blase, K., Metz, A., & Van Dyke, M. (2013). Statewide Implementation of Evidence-Based Programs. Exceptional Children, 79(3), 213–230. doi:10.1177/001440291307900206

Fixsen, D., Blase, K., Metz, A., & Van Dyke, M. (2015). Implementation Science. International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, 695–702. doi:10.1016/b978-0-08-097086-8.10548-3

Fixsen, D., Naoom, S., Friedman, R., & Wallace, F. (2005). Implementation Research: A Synthesis of the Literature. In National Implementation Research Network (pp. 1–101). University of South Florida, Louis de la Parte Florida Mental Health Institute.
https://nirn.fpg.unc.edu/resources/implementation-research-synthesis-literature

Fullan, M. (2007). The new meaning of educational change (4th. ed.). New York: Teachers College Press.

Kortering, L. J., McClannon, T. W., & Braziel, P. M. (2008). Universal Design for Learning. Remedial and Special Education, 29(6), 352–363. doi:10.1177/0741932507314020 

Lewis, C. (2015). What is improvement science? Do we need it in education? Educational Researcher, 44, 54–61.
https://doi.org/10.3102/0013189X15570388

Lynch, D., & Smith, R. (2016). Readiness for School Reform. International Journal of Innovation, Creativity and Change, 2 (3), 1-12.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303211026_Readiness_for_School_Reform

Meyer, A., Rose, D. H., & Gordon, D. T. (2014). Universal Design for Learning: Theory and practice. CAST Professional Publishing.

Rao, K., Ok, M. W., & Bryant, B. R. (2014). A review of research on universal design educational models. Remedial and Special Education, 35(3), 153-166.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0741932513518980

Creative Commons License: CC BY-NC-ND

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs
CC BY-NC-ND

This license allows reusers to copy and distribute the material in any medium or format in unadapted form for non-commercial purposes only and only so long as attribution is given to the creator.