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Board attorney warns of Title IX and ADA changes that will require policy updates
Summary
The board’s attorney told members that new federal Title IX amendments (effective Aug. 1, 2024) and recent Title II ADA regulations (WCAG 2.1 AA web-accessibility requirements) mean district policies and online content must be revised to comply.
During the meeting the board’s attorney briefed trustees on recent federal changes with compliance implications for the district.
The attorney said Title IX amendments published in April revise definitions, expand grievance-procedure and coordinator training requirements, broaden the definition of sexual harassment beyond the prior "severe, pervasive and objectively offensive" framing, and clarify that the district’s jurisdiction can include off-campus and even out-of-country conduct in some circumstances. The attorney said policies will need to be revised and staff trained with the Aug. 1, 2024 effective date in mind.
The attorney also summarized recent Department of Justice Title II ADA guidance issued April 14 that requires state and local governments, including school districts, to verify web and mobile application accessibility to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 AA technical standard. Compliance dates vary by jurisdiction size; districts serving populations under and over 49,999 have different deadlines noted by the attorney.
Administrators were advised to inventory websites and apps, verify accessibility standards, and plan for policy revisions and staff training as required by the new federal guidance.
No vote on policy language occurred at the meeting; the attorney said revisions would be brought forward for board consideration.
