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Accessibility Resources

Seattle Public Schools Web Accessibility

Accessibility Workshop

The SPS web team provides accessibility workshops and support as needed. Please email webmaster@seattleschools.org for more information.

Path to Accessible Documents on SPS Websites

Seattle Public Schools (SPS) is committed to ensuring all web pages and content are accessible and in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). All external website content must be accessible. Documents that are not accessible, or without a conforming alternate version, will be removed.

We also want to make it as easy as possible for you! Information below will support you in determining if your content should be posted on a district webpage and in making it accessible.

Important! You need Adobe Acrobat Pro DC in order to make your PDFs as accessible as possible. If you are an SPS employee, you can email TechTicket and request an Adobe Acrobat Pro license.

Step 1: Is the document for external audiences?

If YES: Move to Step 2.

If NO: Please do not place internal documents on the external site. Use MySPS, SharePoint, or another internal location to share resources and information with colleagues and staff. If you need help in determining the best location, reach out to district communications at publicaffairs@seattleschools.org

Step 2: Can the document’s content be placed on a webpage instead?

If YES: Great! The district and school webpages are automatically accessible. Any time possible, please put content on a webpage instead of including a downloadable document. One benefit is links to a webpage can be sent directly to families and stakeholders.

If NO: Move to Step 3.

Step 3: Is the document a PDF?

If YES: Move to step 4.

If NO: PDF is the only document type allowed on SPS websites. Making your PDF accessible is much easier and quicker if you check the original document for accessibility and make any necessary adjustments before converting to PDF.

Check your document for accessibility, save as a PDF, and then move to step 4. Review the resources below to learn how to make documents accessible.

Step 4: Is the PDF accessible?

If YES: Thank you! Your PDF is ready to be posted. If you are a school website editor, please follow these instructions for posting your PDF.

If NO: Making your PDF accessible is much easier and quicker if you check the original document for accessibility and make any necessary adjustments before converting to PDF. If you have already done this, open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro, start the accessibility checker, and resolve all accessibility issues that the checker finds. Your PDF is ready to be posted.

Please read our QRD with step-by-step instructions for resolving Accessibility issues in Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Document Accessibility Resources

You need Adobe Acrobat Pro DC in order to make your PDFs as accessible as possible. If you are an SPS employee, you can email TechTicket and request an Adobe Acrobat Pro license.

Image Accessibility

Images of text are not ADA accessible and therefore are not allowed on the public district or school websites. They are not accessible because the text in the image will not be read aloud to people who use assistive technology. The SPS web team will remove images of text from the public SPS websites. Any important information about the event such as date, time, links to RSVP, etc. should be added as text on the webpage. Please see examples below.

Image of Text Example (not allowed)

Curriculum Night October 10

Image with Text on Page Example (allowed)

Teacher talking to students at a classroom table. There is also a laptop, math symbols, a globe, crayons, pencils, paint palette, microscope, and a school garden.

Join us for Curriculum Night on October 10! Please RSVP by October 3.