Content from Community Partners and Outside Organizations
At Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools, we follow digital accessibility guidelines because it’s not just the right thing to do—it’s also the law.
The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA help ensure that people with disabilities can access and understand online content, including social media, websites, and digital documents. Federal laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 508 already require accessible digital content, and enforcement is getting stronger as new rules and regulations are finalized. But beyond compliance, accessibility is about inclusion. Making our content usable for everyone—regardless of ability—reflects our values and helps us communicate clearly with all members of our community.
If you or your organization are sending us content to share—like event flyers, images, or videos—please make sure it meets these legal accessibility guidelines. That includes things like adding alt text for images, using high-contrast colors, including captions on videos, and avoiding text-only graphics. We’re committed to sharing content that is accessible to all, and we will not be able to post materials that don’t meet these standards.
What to Send
- Plain text: Submit your content in an email or a Google Doc. Avoid sending just a flyer or image.
- Event details: Include who the event is for, what it is, where and when it’s happening, and what people need to do (RSVP, bring items, etc.).
- Alt text or descriptions: If you include an image or flyer, provide a short description in your message.
- No PDFs: We no longer publish or share PDFs in newsletters or on our website due to accessibility concerns. See heading “PDFs and Images with a lot of Text” for more information.
What Not to Send
- PDF flyers or scanned documents
- Images without any description
- Text embedded in graphics with no plain text version
- Links to inaccessible documents or media
The Accessible Alternative: A Simple Image + Plain Text Description
What we do not share online
This is an example of a flyer created for a district event. It has all the information someone needs on it, but if a person needs a screen reader or for it to be translated, they are out of luck. It's also hard to read on a cell phone because some of the text is very small. A flyer like this is great if you are printing it out and handing it to someone or hanging it up, but it will not work online.
Example
What to do instead
Create an attention grabbing graphic with a few words and then write out the information in plain text. This is perfect for social media, newsletters, emails, and websites!
Example
FAFSA Support Night
- Tuesday, March 25th
- 5:00pm-7:00pm
- KCKPS Central Office
2010 N. 59th St., KCK - Dinner is provided
Come Prepared! For the FAFSA you’ll need:
- Social Security Number
- Alien Registration Number (if you are a permanent resident)
- Parents and Student (if applicable) 2023 Tax information (ex. Form 1040 & copy of W2s)
- Laptop
Register Here for the FAFSA Support Night
(this link is no longer active as the event has passed)
For more information, see your College & Career Coordinator in the Student Success Center.
Submission Checklist
Before sending your content, please confirm:
- My message includes all necessary event or program details in plain text
- If I attached an image, I also described it in the email or doc
- I did not attach a flyer as a PDF or image-only graphic
- I used clear language that most families can understand
