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Grain Valley Schools

Every Student. Every Day.

Guidance for Outside Organizations

Guidance for Outside Organizations

The DOJ has established WCAG 2.1 Level AA as the technical standard for all web content and mobile applications provided by public entities. Companies providing software, website hosting, digital documents, or mobile apps to our district must ensure their products conform to these standards by the statutory deadline of April 26, 2027. 

Grain Valley Schools is happy to continue partnerships with outside organizations that support the district's overall vision, motto, and core commitments. We will work to maintain strong partnerships with outside organizations that will align with the district’s values and benefit our students, staff, and school community. However, all content must be shared in a digitally responsible way. This includes ensuring all accessibility standards are met. 

Community members sit at a table and converse during the Bright Futures luncheon.

  • The Technical Requirement: WCAG 2.1 Level AA

    Products must meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1, Level AA. This includes, but is not limited to:
    • Text Alternatives: Providing alt-text for all non-text content (images, icons).
    • Keyboard Accessibility: Ensuring all functionality is available via a keyboard (no "mouse-only" interactions).
    • Captions & Transcripts: Providing synchronized captions for all multimedia.
    • Color Contrast: Meet minimum contrast ratios for text. Test color contrast. 
    • Navigability: Providing clear headings, labels, and a logical focus order for screen readers.

    Scope of Content:  

    The rule is broad and covers almost all digital "assets" a third-party vendor may provide or manage for us. 
    • Websites & Portals: Any web-based interface used by students, parents, or staff.
    • Mobile Apps: Any application designed for smartphones or tablets.
    • Electronic Documents: PDFs, Word documents, PowerPoints, and spreadsheets shared through our platforms.
    • Learning Management Systems (LMS): All course content and the platform itself.

  • When an outside organization asks to share content in the district, we have a legal obligation to make sure that the content meets digital accessibility requirements. 

    1. Ask the outside organization if the flyer that was shared is accessible. If they are not sure, connect them with Kamron Porter.
    2. If the flyer is not accessible, ask the organization to type all of the text from the flier in a Word or Google Doc and share the doc with us. If the document has images, they should attach any and all images to the email and provide an alt text caption for the image.
    3. If they believe the flyer is ADA Accessible, our district communications team will need to confirm.

    Many outside organizations that will reach out to share opportunities with the district will also need to follow digital accessibility standards, and may be aware of the standards. However, sometimes we will work with privately owned companies, who may not have these requirements, so we must provide them with instructions to ensure we can continue the partnership while also meeting the requirements of accessibility. Any government-funded agencies must follow digital accessibility standards. This includes, but is not limited to: Public Schools, Community & State Colleges, Local, State, and Federal Government Agencies.