Accessibility Statement
Oakland Schools is committed to providing a website that meets ADA compliance standards on the Oakland Schools' website for all users.
Oakland Schools follows Board policy 4513 in ensuring students, parents, employees, guests and members of the public with disabilities are able to independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same benefits and services within the same timeframe as those without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use; and that they are not excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination in any District programs, services, and activities delivered online.
- Notice to persons with disabilities to access online information or functionality:
- Board Policy 4513 - Web Accessibility
- Web Accessibility Complaints
Notice to persons with disabilities to access online information or functionality:
Oakland Schools incorporates website accessibility standards into the design and maintenance of our website endeavoring to provide accessibility for all people regardless of ability or method of access.
As part of Oakland Schools’ commitment to Accessibility, we have adopted a leading-edge Web Accessibility solution called AudioEye. AudioEye helps ensure that our website is optimized to provide an accessible user experience by conforming to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0, Level AA standards. These recommendations outline how to make website content accessible to a wider range of people with disabilities. In addition, the AudioEye technology includes a toolbar, which includes a suite of assistive web personalization utilities that allow our users to customize their unique user experience to meet their needs.
Please note that some pages on the Oakland Schools website contain links to third-party sites, which are not within our control and may not comply with accessibility standards.
Board Policy 4513 - Web Accessibility
With regard to the District’s websites (http://oakland.k12.mi.us and http://ostconline.com), the District is committed to compliance with the provisions of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act so that students, parents, employees, guests and members of the public with disabilities are able to independently acquire the same information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same benefits and services within the same timeframe as those without disabilities, with substantially equivalent ease of use; and that they are not excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination in any District programs, services, and activities delivered online.
New and Updated Content
All new and updated web content on the District’s websites developed either internally by the District or provided or developed by third-party vendors to the District, after the effective date of the Website Accessibility Policy will conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA conformance, or updated equivalents.
Legacy Content
Legacy web content is content developed either internally by the District or provided or developed by third-party vendors to the District before the effective date of the Website Accessibility Policy. Legacy web content on the District’s websites developed either internally by the District or provided or developed by third-party vendors to the District, will conform to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA conformance, or updated equivalents.
Exceptions
The District, in providing equally effective alternate access, shall take actions that do not result in a fundamental alteration or undue financial and administrative burdens, but nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with disabilities receive the same benefits and services as their nondisabled peers. In those circumstances where the District’s Web Accessibility Coordinator believes that the proposed action would fundamentally alter the service, program, or activity or would result in undue financial and administrative burdens, the District has the burden of proving that compliance would result in such alteration or burdens. The decision that compliance would result in such alteration or burdens must be made by the Superintendent, or his or her designee, after considering all resources available for use in the funding and operation of the service, program or activity and must be accompanied by a written statement of the reasons reaching that conclusion. If an action would result in such an alteration or such burdens, the District shall take any other action that would not result in such an alteration or such burdens but would nevertheless ensure that, to the maximum extent possible, individuals with disabilities receive the benefits and services provided by the District.
Web Accessibility Coordinator
The Superintendent appoints the Executive Director of Legal Affairs as the District’s Web Accessibility Coordinator. The District’s Web Accessibility Coordinator will be responsible to:
- Coordinate and implement the District’s Web Accessibility Policy and accompanying administrative rule;
- Develop and implement the District’s Web Accessibility Plan within established timelines;
- Establish and oversee a standardized process for the review and evaluation of the accessibility of new and updated content prior to it being uploaded to the District’s websites
- Develop a plan for a review of legacy content, including evaluating content according to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, Level AA, and overseeing the necessary updates according to the Web Accessibility Plan.
- Ensure any department with non-conforming webpages will be required to correct the problem in a timely manner.
- Conduct web accessibility initial and annual training of designated staff;
- Oversee and process website accessibility complaints in accordance with the established process.
The Web Accessibility Coordinator may be reached at:
Executive Director of Legal Affairs
Oakland Schools
2111 Pontiac Lake Rd
Waterford, MI 48328
248.209.2062 (Office)
248.209.2018 (Fax)
Email
Web Accessibility Complaints
A student, parent, employee, guest or member of the public may report violations of the technical standard(s) used by the District, contact the Web Accessibility Coordinator with any accessibility concerns and/or file a formal complaint through the District’s Section 504 and Title II grievance procedure (through the District’s Section 504 Coordinator).
Web accessibility complaints regarding the inaccessibility of Online Content should be submitted in writing, via email, or by completing the Web Accessibility Complaint Form. Complaints filed using the Web Accessibility Complaint Form shall be automatically routed to the Web Accessibility Coordinator. A school official or District webmaster who receives a complaint shall immediately inform the Web Accessibility Coordinator. The Complaint should include:
- Name
- Address
- Date of the Complaint
- Description of the problem encountered
- Web address or location of the problem page
- Solution desired
- Contact information in case more details are needed (email and phone number)
The complaint will be investigated by the Web Accessibility Coordinator or another person designated by the Superintendent. The student, parent, employee, guest or member of the public shall be contacted no later than ten (10) working days following the date the Website Accessibility Coordinator receives the information. Whether or not a formal complaint is made, once the District has been notified of inaccessible content, if the information cannot be made accessible, the information shall be provided by equally effective alternate access unless it results in fundamental alteration or undue financial and administrative burden.
Complaints filed through the District’s Section 504 and Title II grievance procedure shall be filed with the District’s Section 504 Coordinator:
Executive Director of Legal Affairs
Oakland Schools
2111 Pontiac Lake Rd
Waterford, MI 48328
248.209.2062 (Office)
248.209.2018 (Fax)
Email
For purposes of this policy and administrative rule, “school official” shall be defined to include Executive Director, Program Director, Dean, Supervisors and Managers, CFE Consultant for Special Populations, and Counselor.