Beyond Compliance: Why Website Accessibility Matters for Schools

Digital accessibility is no longer optional for school districts; it’s essential and, as of April 26, 2027, will be legally required as well.

(For school districts with a local population of 50,000 or more, they will have to comply with these new standards by April 24, 2026. Smaller districts will have until April 26, 2027, to make the necessary changes to their digital communications and website content. City school districts will base their size on the city's population, while county school districts will base their size on the county's population.)

However, digital accessibility isn’t just about following the law. It’s about fulfilling our mission to serve students of all abilities, and we do that by leveling the playing field and ensuring all information can be accessed by our students and their families.

Now is the time to ensure our websites are accessible and align with WCAG 2.1 AA standards. This may seem daunting and unrealistic for many districts, but there are simple steps educators can take to meet students' needs and comply with federal law (more on that later in this article).

Why Accessibility Matters

When a school district’s website is not accessible, it creates barriers for individuals with disabilities, including those who are visually impaired, hearing impaired, or have cognitive challenges. If the information isn’t accessible, in essence, it doesn’t exist. And if we’re only providing an online experience for some, and not others, we’re missing the mark.

A Quick Overview

Like ADA requirements for buildings, school districts are now required to ensure that digital content can be accessed and used by all individuals, including those with disabilities. At its core, accessibility simply ensures that every family can navigate and understand the information you’re trying to convey. 

Common Accessibility Challenges

• Lack of Alternative Text (Alt Text): Images without descriptive alt text prevent screen readers from conveying important information.
• Inaccessible PDFs: Many district documents are uploaded as PDFs, which may not be readable by assistive technology.
• Poor Color Contrast: Insufficient contrast between text and background makes content difficult to read for individuals with visual impairments.
• Unlabeled Form Fields: Online registration and contact forms must include labels so they are usable with screen readers.
• Missing or Inadequate Captions on Videos: Video content should include captions to accommodate those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

How-To Guide in 4 Steps

1. Make sure your website has an accessibility toolbar activated. If you don’t know how to do so, check with your District’s content management system provider.
2. Conduct an audit of your District’s home page and each landing page. Choose 5-10 internal pages to check as well. This will be your litmus test of how things are going.
   1. Utilize online accessibility checkers like WAVE or axe (Chrome Extension) to identify accessibility issues or ANDI to identify contrast concerns. Many of these tools are built into Content Management Systems. Find the one that works for you, and don’t be afraid to try or use more than one.
   2. Determine which issues you are able to fix by modifying content and which you may need to reach out to your CMS provider to handle.
3. Determine if PDFs are the right choice for your site. Remember, the content within a PDF isn’t searchable using your site’s search function; most PDFs are problematic at best and completely inaccessible at worst. As you are presented with information in PDF format, decide if you need to recreate the content in HTML format within your content management system or if you need to update your PDF to ensure compliance. (We’ll have more on that in an upcoming blog post).
4. Offer multiple contact methods on your site. Ensure those families unable to use online forms have alternative ways to reach the district. 

Ready for Your Deep Dive?

If you have a really solid understanding of your District’s site and CMS, and you know you’re on the right track, here’s an idea that’s been working well with several of our District clients: 

Access your district’s sitemap and your favorite approved AI tool, and ask AI to create a calendar for you. Here is a prompt I used in the past: 

I need to create a structured, long-term website accessibility review plan to ensure my school district’s website is fully accessible and up to date by March 1, 2026. The plan should break down all pages of the website into a detailed, week-by-week schedule that spans approximately one year.

Each week should focus on a specific section of the website, ensuring that no page is overlooked. The final weeks should include a quality assurance review using accessibility tools (e.g., WAVE, Axe) and an opportunity to implement final improvements.

I would like a schedule in a clear, easy-to-follow format, labeling each week with its assigned tasks. 

Please also consider best practices for website accessibility, such as alt text for images, proper heading structures, contrast checks, and ensuring PDFs and documents are accessible.

Website Details: Here, you can either use the website URL or input your sitemap.

Next Steps

Ensuring website accessibility is not just about meeting legal standards—it’s about providing the same experience for every family in your District. 

By proactively addressing accessibility challenges, using the right tools, and implementing a structured review process, Districts can create a digital space that serves all users effectively. 

Small, consistent improvements will make a significant impact over time, helping to remove barriers and improve communication with your entire school community.

Want help making your site accessible by the 2026 deadline? Let’s talk!