LPS pitches unified messaging platform to meet ADA digital‑access deadline and simplify district communications

Lincoln Public Schools’ technology and communications staff presented a proposal to purchase a cloud‑based unified messaging platform intended to help the district meet updated ADA Title II digital accessibility requirements and to consolidate multiple communication tools into a single Lincoln Public Schools app.

Chief Technology Officer Kurt Langer told the board that recent updates to ADA Title II regulations require entities serving more than 50,000 people to bring digital content — websites, PDFs, photos and videos — into conformance by April 2026. “Anything that’s delivered digitally…needs to meet ADA conformance by April 2026,” he said.

Why it matters: District leaders said the deadline is a catalyst to modernize their messaging environment, reduce operational inefficiencies and improve reliability. Langer and communications director Mindy Burbach explained the proposed system would host school websites and newsletters in the cloud, provide a safe two‑way texting environment for teachers and coaches, and enable consistent, ADA‑conformant newsletters across schools.

Platform and costs: Presenters recommended a three‑year licensing agreement with phased payments (50% first year, 80% second, 100% third), with an option to extend. The presentation identified Apogee as the vendor for a unified solution and proposed integrating existing social media orchestration tools (Class Intercom) and the district’s mass notification provider (SchoolMessenger). The staff estimated the per‑year cost amortized over the contract would be roughly $20,000 per year (presenters said that equates to about 50¢ per student when spread across the district’s enrollment), and noted the district’s SchoolMessenger contract expires in June 2026.

Discussion and constraints: Langer warned that the district’s current website is network‑hosted and could be inaccessible if the internal network is down, making a cloud solution more resilient. He also noted one integration gap: posting short video “reels” to social platforms while maintaining ADA conformance. Staff said they are working with district legal counsel on contract and privacy questions before advancing the agreement.

Next steps: The presentation asked trustees to consider a three‑year pilot/licensing approach and to prioritize early adopters and newsletters ahead of the April 2026 compliance deadline. Staff said they plan further work on integrations with Class Intercom and to coordinate implementation phases with school communications teams.

The discussion took place during agenda item 9.1.2 at the Sept. 23, 2025 board meeting.