In 2024, the Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a rule to update regulations on web content accessibility for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act. It requires all state and local government entities, including public school systems and colleges, to verify that their web content is accessible for those with vision, hearing, cognitive, and manual dexterity disabilities.
Using the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Version 2.1 Level AA as technical standard for compliance, K-12 schools and colleges will need to ensure their websites, mobile apps, and digital textbooks have accessible text, images, sounds, videos, controls, animations, and more.
The DOJ rule will start being enforced as early as this April. For schools in counties or cities with populations of 50,000 or more, compliance is due by April 24, 2026. For schools in counties or cities with populations of less than 50,000, compliance is due by April 26, 2027.
A survey conducted by National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA) and Sogolytics indicates many districts won’t be ready. Only 14% of respondents say their districts have completed or nearly completed updating their digital platforms to meet compliance. Although half of respondents (46%) called digital accessibility a high priority in their district, almost all cited a lack of staff awareness (97%) and staff expertise and training (95%) as barriers to better digital accessibility.
The NSPRA report recommends making progress towards accessibility through coordinated, districtwide actions, such as providing ongoing training for all staff and auditing digital accessibility.
Accessibility is important for all, even individuals without disabilities. Schools can better serve all its community members, including families and employees, by coming to compliance.
For K-12 schools and colleges in counties or cities with populations of 50,000 or more, compliance is due by April 24, 2026.
School districts or colleges in counties or cities with fewer residents, however, get a year longer to comply.
