Keeping your school website ADA-compliant might not always be a top priority, but ignoring accessibility issues could lead to some unpleasant— and unplanned— headaches, like an audit from the Office of Civil Rights (OCR).
Does it sound stressful? We’ve heard it is! But here’s the good news: it’s avoidable, and we’re here to help you through it.
What is an OCR Audit and How is One Triggered?
It all starts with a letter from the OCR saying your school website isn’t accessible to people with disabilities. A simple error—like missing alt text on an image or unreadable text—can trigger the audit process.
Anyone can initiate this letter—a parent, community member, or even someone outside your district. Here’s a kicker: it’s not always someone directly connected to the school. If your school or district receives federal funding and the website is found to be out of compliance, an OCR audit is likely on the horizon. And once it happens, the hard work begins.
The Impact of an OCR Audit on Budget and Resources
An OCR audit can significantly impact your budget and resources, requiring a considerable investment of time and money.
Time: Addressing web accessibility guidelines and ensuring ongoing ADA compliance can take up to a year. Even after the audit, maintaining compliance is crucial.
Costs: Non-compliance fines can reach $10,000 per school site or page. Responding to an audit might involve hiring additional staff, purchasing accessibility checker tools, or paying for content updates.
What’s the general process?
Tackling website compliance can feel a bit like climbing a mountain, but don’t worry, you’re not alone on this journey! Here’s a friendly overview of the general process you’ll go through if you receive an OCR letter.
1. Meet with Your OCR Representative
First things first, you’ll have a meeting with an OCR representative. This is your chance to find out what violations have been flagged and get some valuable suggestions on how to move forward.
2. Audit Your Website
Next up is the big task of auditing your own website. This part can take a while—think months! You’ll be checking every page and piece of content against the guidelines to make sure everything’s up to snuff.
3. Review Your Findings
Once you’ve done your homework, it’s back to the OCR representative for a second meeting. Here, you’ll go over your audit findings and get feedback on your next steps.
4. Correct Website Content
Time to roll up your sleeves! You’ll need to update every page, alt-text on images, blog posts, news stories, and even PDFs to ensure compliance.
5. Ongoing Reviews
Your OCR rep will be there to support you through ongoing reviews. They’ll keep tabs on your progress, and you’ll need to check in with updates along the way.
6. Build a Compliance Plan
Finally, after all the updates, it’s time to show how you plan to stay compliant in the future. Having a solid plan for ongoing monitoring and improvement is key!
And here’s the good news: OCR representatives are here to help, not to hinder! Most school leaders find them kind and collaborative, which can make this process a lot smoother. So, take a deep breath, and let’s get started on this together!
How to Stay Ahead of the Game
The best way to avoid an OCR audit? Ensure your website is built for accessibility from the start. If you’re using Edlio, you’re already in good shape—our websites are designed to support assistive technology and meet WCAG standards right out of the box.
The tricky part? Keeping every new piece of content compliant. Every page, image, and document added to your site needs to follow accessibility rules. And let’s be honest—no one has time to manually check every update!
The Magic Button That Fixes Accessibility Issues
Okay, it’s not really magic—it’s Edlio Accessibility, our built-in AI-powered tool that scans your website and automatically fixes common accessibility errors. Here’s what it can do for you:
• Generate alt text for images
• Fix color contrast issues
• Improve link descriptions
• Adjust heading structures
• Review content for readability
Every time you use Edlio Accessibility, it not only corrects errors but also helps you learn what to look out for—so you can keep your site compliant without the stress.
Final Thoughts
OCR audits are a hassle—time-consuming, expensive, and frustrating. While schools have until 2026 to fully comply with updated ADA guidelines, the rules are already in place now. The easiest way to stay ahead? Get compliant before there’s a problem.
We’d love to help! If you want to ensure your school website meets accessibility standards (without spending a year fixing it later), let’s chat. Schedule a demo to see how Edlio can make it easy.
At Edlio, we’ve worked with many schools that have been through the OCR audit process. What we’ve learned from their experiences has helped shape Edlio Accessibility—so you don’t have to go through the same struggles.
