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Advisory committee presses for community input into district accessibility audit
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Summary
Members were told a district accessibility and inclusivity checklist is being used for building walk‑throughs and will be completed by June; members objected that students and families with lived experience should be included and asked to preview the checklist.
The DEI Advisory Committee heard an update April 13 on a district‑wide accessibility and inclusivity audit and urged administrators to include students, parents and staff with lived experience in the assessment process.
The chair reported that Dr. Dube has prepared a checklist and met with the director of operations; administrators expect to complete the walk‑throughs by June. Several committee members expressed disappointment the initial plan did not include direct student and family participation and asked to preview the proposed checklist so advisory members and community stakeholders can provide written feedback.
Why it matters: committee members argued that audits that omit people with direct experience of disability or accessibility barriers risk missing practical problems and fail to center affected communities. Members recommended the checklist include outreach to faculty, teaching assistants, students who use mobility devices, and families so the walk‑through can capture lived‑experience perspectives.
Next steps: the chair agreed to request the checklist from administration and to share it with the committee for comment. Members also discussed asking school committee leadership to place the audit on a future agenda to enable broader public review.
Quote: "They are setting a goal to have this completed by June," the chair said, adding that the advisory committee would request the checklist and offer feedback.
