Hernando County School District Website Accessibility Policy
The District is committed to providing persons with disabilities an opportunity equal to that of persons without disabilities to participate in the District’s programs, benefits, and services, including those delivered through electronic and information technology, except where doing so would impose an undue burden or create a fundamental alteration. The District is further committed to ensuring persons with disabilities are able to acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same benefits and services within the same timeframe as persons without a disability, with substantially equivalent ease of use; that they are not excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination in any District programs, services, and activities delivered online, as required by Section 504 and Title II of the ADA and their implementing regulations; and that they receive effective communication of the District’s programs, services, and activities delivered online.
The District adopts this policy to fulfill this commitment and affirm its intention to comply with the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 794, 34 C.F.R. Part 104, and Title II of the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. 12131 and 28 C.F.R. Part 35 in all respects.
1. Technical Standards
The District will adhere to the technical standards of compliance identified at https://www.hernandoschools.org. The District measures the accessibility of online content and functionality according to the World Wide Web Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA, the Web Accessibility Initiative - Accessible Rich Internet Applications Suite (WAI-ARIA 1.1) for web content, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
2. Web Accessibility Coordinator
The Board designates its Technology Director as the District's web accessibility coordinator(s). That individual(s) is responsible for coordinating and implementing this policy.
See Board Policy 2260.01 for the Section 504/ADA Compliance Coordinator(s)’ contact information.
3. Third Party Content
Links included on the Board’s website(s), services, and apps that pertain to its programs, benefits, and/or services must also meet the above criteria and comply with State and Federal law (e.g. copyright laws, CIPA, Section 504, ADA, and COPPA). While the District strives to provide access through its website to online content provided or developed by third parties (including vendors, video-sharing websites, and other sources of online content) that is in an accessible format, that is not always feasible. The District's administrators and staff, however, are aware of this requirement with respect to the selection of online content provided to students. The District's web accessibility coordinator or his/her designees will vet online content available on its website that is related to the District’s programs, benefits, and/or services for compliance with this criteria for all new content placed on the District's website after adoption of this policy.
Nothing in the preceding paragraph, however, shall prevent the District from including links on the Board’s website(s) to:
a. recognized news/media outlets (e.g., local newspapers' websites, local television stations' websites), or
b. websites, services, and/or apps that are developed and hosted by outside vendors or organizations that are not part of the District’s program, benefits, or services.
The Board recognizes that such third party websites may not contain age‑appropriate advertisements that are consistent with the requirements of Policy 9700.01, AP 9700B, and State and Federal law.
4. Regular Audits
The District, under the direction of the web accessibility coordinator(s) or his/her/their designees, will, at regular intervals, audit the District's online content and measure this content against the technical standards adopted above.
This audit will occur no less than once every two (2) years.
If problems are identified through the audit, such problems will be documented, evaluated, and, if necessary, remediated within a reasonable period of time.
5. Reporting Concerns or Possible Violations
If any student, prospective student, employee, guest, or visitor believes that the District has violated the technical standards in its online content, s/he may contact the web accessibility coordinator with any accessibility concerns. S/He may also file a formal complaint utilizing the procedures set out in Board Policy 2260 and Policy 2260.01 relating to Section 504 and Title II.