By Lauren Gonzalez and Zeynep Agirbas
Sogolytics, in partnership with the National School Public Relations Association (NSPRA), has released a new national report that highlights an urgent, yet often overlooked, equity issue in today’s K–12 landscape: Digital Accessibility.
Under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the U.S. Department of Justice now requires state and local education agencies to ensure full accessibility across all digital platforms by April 2026 or 2027. This means districts must verify that all community-facing digital materials, including learning platforms, online textbooks, district websites, communication tools, and mobile apps, meet WCAG 2.1 standards. For millions of students, families, staff, and community members who rely on accessible design, this is not optional. It’s essential for equitable engagement.
What the Data Reveals: Readiness Is Low
Drawing on original survey responses from school communication professionals nationwide, the new report reveals a clear message: barriers remain for districts working to meet federal accessibility standards.
Key findings include:
- Only 14% of respondents say their districts have completed, or are close to completing, the required updates.
- Fewer than half (46%) say digital accessibility is currently a high priority in their district.
- Respondents identified major barriers, including:
- Lack of awareness (97%)
- Need for additional training (94%)
- Vendor limitations (74%)
NSPRA & Sogolytics, 2025
Nearly half of respondents (49%) also reported that their districts do not review vendor accessibility during contract selection or renewal.
NSPRA & Sogolytics, 2025
The data makes it clear: to make meaningful progress, accessibility must become part of everyday culture; not just a compliance requirement. When districts fail to verify that vendors can provide accessible products, it slows compliance efforts and contributes to unequal access to essential digital communications, tools, and activities.
Sogolytics’ Commitment to Collaborative Partnerships
At Sogolytics, we recognized early on that digital accessibility isn’t simply a legal requirement; it’s a responsibility. As a partner to school districts, we are committed to upholding ADA standards and supporting districts in building inclusive, equitable digital experiences for all.
In early 2022, after several district partners urged us to meet WCAG standards, we launched a focused accessibility initiative. Rather than treating their request as a one-time update, we saw an opportunity to lead by example and to share that responsibility.
This collaboration resulted in several major platform enhancements, including:
- Screen reader compatibility across surveys, invitations, and reports
- Enhanced keyboard navigation, allowing full completion without a mouse
- Improved color contrast and text readability for users with visual differences
- Alternative text prompts and descriptive fields for images and media
- Accessibility testing across desktop, tablet, and mobile environments
- Survey accessibility previews to confirm accessibility before launch
These updates reflect our belief that accessibility isn’t about checking boxes, it’s about designing digital experiences that are inclusive, practical, and sustainable for everyone.
Empowering Users to Build Accessible Experiences
We’re equally committed to ensuring that districts can create accessible content from the start. To support this, Sogolytics provides:
- A dedicated accessibility webpage with resources, guidelines, and best practices.
- Step-by-step in-platform guidance to help creators design accessible surveys.
- One-on-one training and support, helping users build compliant and inclusive designs with confidence.
These tools work together to ensure that districts aren’t simply offering an accessible survey, they’re creating meaningful, accessible experiences for every participant: students, staff, families, and community members.
Accessibility as a Living Commitment
At Sogolytics, digital accessibility is not a one-time milestone, it’s an ongoing priority. We continuously incorporate partner feedback and user testing into product updates to ensure we’re meeting real-world needs while aligning with evolving standards.
Looking ahead, our future plans include:
- Automated accessibility detection, flagging issues during survey design.
- Expanded training modules to help more creators design inclusive content.
These next steps support the Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines (ATAG), ensuring that our platform is both accessible and empowering for every user. If you would like more information or training on how Sogolytics can support digital accessibility at your school please click here.
Why Accessibility Matters Now More Than Ever
Digital accessibility cannot be treated as a checklist or compliance task. True progress requires districtwide commitment.
By embracing accessibility as a shared responsibility, districts can:
- Advance educational equity
- Strengthen trust and communication with families
- Ensure digital experiences work for every member of the community
With federal deadlines quickly approaching, the moment to build more inclusive digital environments is here, and the responsibility has never been greater.
The From Compliance to Culture: Advancing Digital Accessibility in K–12 Education report offers a comprehensive look at how districts are preparing for new federal requirements, where progress is emerging, and where significant gaps remain. It includes current perspectives on digital accessibility and practical guidance — including a procurement playbook — to help districts strengthen their practices and build a long-term culture of accessibility.
