In our recent website accessibility webinar, more than 600 school district leaders joined us to learn more about the new accessibility requirements and what they mean for their school websites.

While we weren’t able to get to every question live, the discussion was strong, and many of the same themes came up from districts across the country. To help, we’ve compiled some of the top questions we received, along with answers and additional resources to help you better understand the next steps in web accessibility. 

Here's what was covered in:

• Compliance Deadlines
• PDF Best Practices
• Tools for School District Accessibility
• Responsibility and Best Practices

Compliance Deadlines

1. For the April deadline, does the population under 50k mean students in school or the community served?

The deadline is based on the population of the relevant government jurisdiction, not student enrollment. Accessibility compliance deadlines are typically determined using U.S. Census data, and you can find more information here.

Compliance deadlines:

• April 24, 2026 = 50,000+ residents 
• April 26, 2027 = Under 50,000 residents

If your district’s structure makes that hard to determine, it’s best to confirm with your leadership team or legal counsel.

2. We’re a local school district, and it’s unclear to me where we fall in the categories.

We don’t service the whole county, and we’re not a city district. Do we determine our category based solely on the population in our district's census?

This comes back to how the relevant government jurisdiction is defined for your district. The deadline is based on the population of the government jurisdiction, typically using U.S. Census data. 

If your district structure is not straightforward, the best next step is to confirm your classification with district leadership or legal counsel.

3. What do the guidelines mean by “community population” or “residents”? Our city is 99K, but the school district is only 12K. Does the 2026 or 2027 deadline apply?

The determining factor is not student enrollment. The deadline is based on the population of the government jurisdiction, typically using U.S. Census data. In cases like this, you’ll want to verify how your district is classified so you can determine which population measure applies.

4. If you’re an ESD/ESA/IU, is your deadline based on your service area population?

Our research indicates that if you are an ESD, ESA, or IU, your deadline is based on your service area population. As with other cases, it’s a good idea to confirm with district leadership. 

PDF Best Practices

5. Do you have any ideas to assist teachers or administrators in making documents accessible when they’re sent through ClassDojo, SeeSaw, or similar tools?

The best approach often depends on the type of document being shared.

For example, newsletters created in our system are already fully responsive, meaning they automatically adapt for different screen sizes and assistive technologies. Because of that, there’s usually no need to export them as PDFs first. Sending the newsletter directly is often the more accessible option.

For many other communications, the fastest and simplest approach is to send them directly in email form rather than as attachments. Email text is generally easier for screen readers to interpret, easier to view on mobile devices, and removes some of the barriers that can come with PDFs or uploaded files.

If a document does need to be shared, a few quick accessibility steps can help:

• Use clear headings and simple formatting
• Avoid images of text
• Ensure good color contrast
• Export as a tagged or accessible PDF when possible

In many cases, though, keeping communications in email or responsive newsletter formats is the simplest and most accessible option for families.

6. How do we make PDFs in other languages compliant, particularly if Adobe doesn’t support the language?

When content is on a webpage, users can often rely on browser translation tools, device language settings, or your site’s translation options to view it in their preferred language. That is typically more accessible and can help avoid Adobe’s language limitations.

7. What about third-party content created by a state department, or a platform or portal managed by the state?

Do we have to make it accessible, or is that on the state?

Districts are responsible for the accessibility of the digital content and services they control, including vendor platforms used to deliver district programs or services.

If a district is simply linking to an external website it does not control, it is generally not responsible for fixing accessibility issues on that site. When possible, it is still a good practice to choose accessible vendors and provide alternative ways to access important information if an external resource creates a barrier.

8. My current practice with PDFs is to have the text on the website itself, and then offer the PDF as a downloadable file.

What does that mean for the PDF? If it turns out to be image-based, should I still begin to integrate alt text?

The letter of the law states that all PDFs, even supplemental ones, must still be accessible. You can also include a note stating that printed copies are available at the building for anyone who prefers or needs one.

9. How are districts making board documents accessible?

We have presentations that people make that are not accessible because of how they are created, but they still need to be posted as board documents.

Many school districts are using a third-party vendor to house their board documents. Alternatively, board policies can be presented in a post-based format on the website, like this example from Highline Public Schools:

10. If I have a linked PDF flyer but also have the same information posted as web-based text, does the flyer have to be 100% ADA accessible?

Under the DOJ rule, digital content provided through a public entity’s website is generally expected to meet accessibility standards, including linked documents such as PDFs.

That said, the rule does recognize a limited exception for certain documents when the same information is already available in an accessible web-based format, and the document itself is not required to access the service or information.

As a best practice, schools often prioritize making the webpage content fully accessible first and making sure the PDF is not the only way someone can access the information.

If a PDF contains information that is not available elsewhere on the site, it should be made accessible.

11. How is everyone handling teacher contracts, business contracts, and similar documents?

The best recommendation is to require third-party vendors to provide an accessible PDF.

12. Are there specific recommendations for PDFs that can’t be webpages?

Yes. PDFs can be made accessible. A quick guide to making PDFs accessible is a helpful starting point.

Keep Reading: How to Make a PDF Accessible on Your School's Website

13. If a special education teacher needs to email an IEP that’s a password-protected PDF, does the new law apply to this?

The DOJ rule primarily applies to websites and mobile applications that public entities make available to the public or use to deliver programs and services online.

An IEP shared directly with a parent through private email or secure communication is generally not considered public web content under the rule.

However, schools still have obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 to ensure effective communication with individuals with disabilities. If a parent or student needs the information in an accessible format, your school may need to provide it in a way they can access.

In practice, that means schools should be prepared to provide accessible versions of important documents when requested, even if the document is shared privately.

14. If we take handbooks out of PDFs and turn them into web content, is there a way to make that webpage printer-friendly?

That’s difficult for us because while most people are fine with online handbooks, some families still want hard copies.

You could include a note stating that printed copies are available at the building for anyone who prefers or needs one. 

Tools for School District Accessibility

15. How do we know our Finalsite website won’t post images without alt text?

Finalsite includes built-in guardrails that require alt text for images before they are published. When content editors upload an image in Composer, they’re prompted to add alt text, helping ensure images include the descriptions needed for accessibility.

Editors can also manage and review image settings directly within Composer. Guidance on writing effective alt text and where to update these settings can be found in the Resources section of Composer. You can learn more in this support article here.

Because content is managed by site editors over time, it’s important to train staff on how to use these tools and to periodically review pages to maintain accessibility best practices.

16. Is there a way to run a report with any links and images that are missing descriptive link titles and alt text?

Yes. In Composer, you can review and update image alt text in bulk through the Resources area using the built-in AI alt text tools. This allows you to identify images without alt text and generate or edit descriptions directly.

Step-by-step instructions are available in this support article.

Responsibility and Best Practices

17. Where does the 125-character recommendation come from?

Is that in the WCAG standard? It’s hard to describe some images in that many characters.

The 125-character recommendation for alt text is a best-practice guideline, not a strict WCAG requirement. It’s often used to help with screen reader compatibility, especially in cases where longer descriptions may be cut off or handled inconsistently.

18. Can you provide clarity around the burden or responsibility on a district if our website links to a site that’s non-compliant?

Districts are responsible for the accessibility of the digital content and services they control, including vendor platforms used to deliver district programs or services.

If a district simply links to an external website it does not control, it is generally not responsible for fixing accessibility issues on that site. When possible, it is still a good practice to choose accessible vendors and provide alternative ways to access important information if an external resource creates a barrier.

19. What should we do if we’re unable to make a document 100% ADA compliant? Is 90% okay to post?

The goal under the DOJ rule is to ensure digital content is accessible to individuals with disabilities.
If a document cannot reasonably be made fully accessible, districts should focus on providing an accessible way for users to obtain the same information. That may include:

• Posting the information as accessible web text
• Providing an accessible alternative format upon request
• Offering a clear contact method for assistance

As a general practice, districts should prioritize making active, frequently used documents fully accessible, while also making sure that essential information is available in an accessible format.

Key Takeaway

Website accessibility is one of the biggest topics on district leaders’ minds right now, and it’s easy to see why. Between compliance deadlines, years of legacy PDFs, third-party platforms, and the day-to-day reality of keeping content updated, there’s a lot for teams to sort through.

While every district’s situation is a little different, one point came through again and again: progress starts with understanding what you control, prioritizing the content your community relies on most, and building manageable processes for keeping that content accessible over time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Connor has spent the last decade within the field of marketing and communications, working with independent schools and colleges throughout New England. At Finalsite, Connor plans and executes marketing strategies and digital content across the web. A former photojournalist, he has a passion for digital media, storytelling, coffee, and creating content that connects.