School Website Requirements: What Actually Works
Websites for schools and districts, where accessibility, privacy and public information obligations apply.
Marcus Adeyemi
What is at stake
School sites serve families, staff and regulators, and they carry obligations most business sites do not.
The playbook
- Follow accessibility requirements for public entities
- Respect directory information opt-outs
- Publish required notices where families can find them
- Vet third-party tools for student data handling
- Caption videos and documents
Where it goes wrong
Avoid:
- Student images published without consent
- Inaccessible PDFs for key notices
- Classroom tools adopted without privacy review
- Notices buried in navigation
The numbers behind it
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Student records | federal law protects education records |
| Directory information | families can opt out of its disclosure |
| Accessibility | public entities must make web content accessible |
| Required postings | districts often must publish specific information |
Getting outside help
When to hand it over: Bring in help when building sites for schools or districts.
Where this comes from
- U.S. Department of Education — Student privacy
- Section508.gov — Create accessible digital products
The figures and practices above come from the sources listed.
Working on something like this?
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Where to go next
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