The digital content that districts produce for public distribution must be accessible to and usable by all community members, including those with disabilities. This includes webpages, documents, forms, social media posts, and more. These digital resources enable success and independence for those with disabilities and ensure equitable access to the district’s programs and services.
The following is a summary of the federal regulations that govern digital accessibility requirements for federal, state, and local governments, including public school districts.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
On April 24, 2024, the Federal Register published the Department of Justice’s (Department) final rule updating its regulations for Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The final rule has specific requirements about how to make sure that web content and mobile applications (apps) are accessible to people with disabilities. Web content and mobile app accessibility requirements apply to all state and local governments; this includes public schools and districts.
- If a district's total population served is less than 50,000 people, they will have until April 26, 2027, to fully comply with these updated ADA requirements.
- If a district's total population served is more than 50,000 people, they will have until April 26, 2026, to fully comply with these updated ADA requirements.
- Prior to either compliance deadline, districts must continue to fulfill individual requests for accessible content and services.
Please bear in mind that digital content and services impact more than just students; it is a district's total population that is used to determine compliance timelines, not the total number of students enrolled. If it is a city school district, it would use the population of the city to know when to comply. If it is a county school district, it would use the population of the county. If it is an independent school district, it would use the population estimate in the most recent Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates.
ADA Resources
To assist districts in understanding the impact of these updates, the South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) has created a summary document:
SCDE Summary of Digital Accessibility Requirements for Public School Districts
District administrators and webmasters are encouraged to also review the following page of the Department of Justice's website for specific details and examples:
U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Civil Rights' Fact Sheet on Digital Accessibility Ruling
Want to learn more about digital accessibility? Check out these South Carolina Department of Education (SCDE) Digital Accessibility Resources!
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Schools and district entities receiving federal funding are required to take steps to ensure individuals with disabilities are provided with equal opportunities (accessibility and reasonable accommodations) in their programs and activities per the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504.
Section 508
The Reauthorized Rehabilitation Act of 1998, Amended Section 508 addresses the issue of electronic and information technology goods and services that are not fully accessible to all individuals with disabilities. Under Section 508, agencies must give disabled employees and members of the public access to information comparable to the access available to others.
