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Insights from the NSPRA + Sogolytics 2025 national survey
Clear, equitable communication builds trust and engages communities. Professional school communicators know this, but communication in schools is about more than messaging: It’s how we provide access. Every email, online form or digital lesson is part of how our districts teach, learn and operate.
As this report highlights, achieving true digital accessibility in our schools requires collaboration, not just within communications teams but across departments and with the vendors that provide our digital communication tools. It must be a shared responsibility across every part of a school system, from IT and curriculum to procurement and vendor management.
This report shows how school systems can move beyond compliance as a checkbox and build accessibility into the foundation of decision making. Alongside NSPRA member perspectives, we’re proud to feature industry insights from Sogolytics in this report, demonstrating what’s possible when school communicators and education vendors collaborate on accessibility. From reviewing vendor claims to embedding requirements in procurement and fostering ongoing partnerships, their industry expertise and examples show what’s possible when strategic collaborations create inclusive experiences for all students, families and staff.
Whether you’re a communications professional, school leader or part of the IT or curriculum team, this report is designed to support your work and drive the decisions and actions that will lead to a culture of accessibility. Together, we can ensure that accessibility isn’t just a requirement — it’s part of how we serve our communities every day.
Barbara M. Hunter, APR, NSPRA Executive Director
At Sogolytics, we believe accessibility is more than a standard; it’s a shared obligation. It’s about ensuring that every student, parent and educator can engage fully in their school community without barriers. As partners with hundreds of districts nationwide, we’ve seen how progress begins when accessibility becomes part of everyday practice, not just policy.
Our role is to make that possible. We build technology designed to include everyone — tools that are intuitive, flexible and compliant from the start. But accessibility isn’t achieved by software alone. It takes collaboration, empathy and the willingness to listen and improve. That’s why we work closely with district leaders to understand their needs, validate every step and deliver solutions that are as practical as they are powerful.
This report reflects the shared values that drive both NSPRA and Sogolytics: clarity, accountability and inclusion. We’re proud to partner with organizations that see accessibility as a foundation for trust and equity, not a checkbox for compliance. Together, we can ensure that digital access is universal, so every voice in every district can be heard.
Haris Azmi, Sogolytics Chief Revenue Officer
Digital tools are now central to K-12 education, transforming how districts teach, operate and engage with their school communities. From online textbooks and learning platforms to district websites and mobile apps, technology promises to expand access and participation for all. But that promise falls short when these same tools introduce barriers that exclude students, families, staff or community members who rely on accessible design to fully engage.
Accessibility is no longer optional — it is both a legal requirement and proof of a district’s commitment to equity. The U.S. Department of Justice’s April 2024 update to Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) removes previous ambiguities and explicitly requires state and local education agencies to ensure accessibility across all digital platforms by April 2026 or 2027.
This urgency reflects a growing national and global movement toward universal digital access. Across the United States, new laws such as Colorado’s HB 21-1110, which took effect in July 2024, are reinforcing federal expectations with stronger statelevel accountability. Abroad, the European Accessibility Act, effective June 2025, signals similar progress toward consistent, inclusive digital practices.
Despite this clarity, a recent survey of NSPRA members, conducted in collaboration with Sogolytics, reveals that too many districts remain at the starting line. Just 14% of respondents say their districts are close to completing compliance work, and less than half say their districts consider digital accessibility a high priority. Efforts remain heavily website-focused, leaving other essential systems, such as student and parent portals, HR platforms and instructional materials, largely overlooked.
The survey also revealed systemic barriers. A lack of staff awareness, training and enforced policies to ensure accessibility of purchased digital tools continue to hinder progress in most districts. These findings underscore that accessibility cannot be achieved through siloed efforts; it must be a shared, organization-wide responsibility.
Districts that embrace accessibility as a collective commitment are making measurable progress. Their success points the way forward: Strong leadership, clear policies, inclusive procurement and ongoing training and monitoring create the conditions for true digital equity, ensuring every student, family, employee and community member can fully participate.
Most districts aren’t yet prepared for new federal requirements. Only 14% of respondents report their districts have completed or nearly completed the ADA Title II digital accessibility updates required by 2026–27.
Digital accessibility isn’t consistently prioritized. Just 46% say digital accessibility ranks as a high priority in their district.
Awareness and training gaps are widespread. A striking 97% of respondents identify lack of staff awareness as a barrier, and 94% say additional training is needed.
Vendor accessibility reviews are often missing. Nearly half of districts (49%) conduct no formal review of vendor accessibility claims during procurement or contract renewal—leaving schools vulnerable as requirements take effect.
Digital accessibility work has largely fallen on communication teams, with 82% of districts assigning them primary responsibility, despite Title II requirements reaching far beyond public-facing communications.
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