The first few weeks of September have been a blur, fall is upon us, and the Huskers are bringing us back to 1994. With all the buzz about back-to-school and football, we cannot forget about the exciting costly legal updates on the horizon. In April 2024, the U.S. Attorney General signed a new rule on accessibility of web content and mobile apps which applies to state and local governments, including public schools. This new rule centers around digital inclusivity and promoting accessibility to people with disabilities. The rule contains several key areas including text alternatives, keyboard accessibility, readable content, and navigability.
While this rule will certainly require time (and money) for school districts to achieve compliance, the government built in generous timelines. Compliance for schools located in cities of 50,000 people or more is April 24, 2026. Schools located in cities of 49,999 people or less must be compliant by April 26, 2027. Additionally, the rule carves out exceptions to accessibility for archived web content and preexisting PDFS, documents, spreadsheets, and presentations.
How should schools begin to prepare for this undertaking? Now is the time to evaluate your current digital presence and how your websites and mobile apps currently align with the requirements of WCAG 2.1, Level AA, which is the technical standard required by the new rule. By making small changes now, such as adding alternative text below images and videos, it will ease the process. We anticipate the Department of Education will also issue guidance and resources on accessibility as the deadline for compliance nears.
So, mark your calendars for the compliance date, have conversations with your tech coordinators, and consider the next steps to ensure compliance. While compliance under the new rule is mandatory for schools, the increased accessibility will prompt inclusivity for all. If you have any questions regarding this new rule or its impact on schools, please do not hesitate to contact us at ksb@ksbschoollaw.com or give us a call at 402-804-8000.