Why Education Needs Both FERPA & Accessibility
FERPA: Student Privacy
FERPA protects the privacy of student education records through:
- ✓ Restricted access to education records
- ✓ Parental/student consent for disclosure
- ✓ Secure storage and transmission
- ✓ Annual notification of rights
- ✓ Access controls for directory information
Penalties: Loss of federal funding, civil lawsuits, OCR investigations
Section 508/ADA: Equal Access
Students with disabilities must be able to:
- ✓ Access online coursework and LMS
- ✓ View grades and academic progress
- ✓ Register for classes independently
- ✓ Communicate with teachers/advisors
- ✓ Submit assignments and take tests
Risk: OCR complaints, DOJ investigations, settlement costs $50K-$500K
The Intersection: Accessible Privacy
Educational institutions face a challenge: FERPA security measures (authentication, session timeouts, audit logging) must be accessible to students with disabilities. Our integrated approach ensures student privacy without creating accessibility barriers.
Who Needs FERPA + Accessibility?
🏫 K-12 Education
- • Public school districts (Ohio IT-09 + ADA)
- • Charter and magnet schools
- • Parent/student portals (grades, attendance)
- • LMS platforms (Canvas, Google Classroom)
- • Special education IEP systems
🎓 Higher Education
- • Public universities and colleges
- • Community colleges
- • Student information systems
- • Registration and enrollment portals
- • Financial aid applications
💻 EdTech Vendors
- • LMS platform providers
- • Student information system vendors
- • Online testing platforms
- • Educational app developers
- • Virtual classroom software
📚 Related Services
- • Education service agencies
- • Tutoring and test prep companies
- • Career counseling platforms
- • Educational research institutions
Ohio K-12 Schools: Triple Compliance Challenge
1. Ohio IT-09 Policy
Public schools as state entities must meet WCAG 2.0 AA (January 2025 milestone). Learn more about IT-09
2. Federal ADA Title II
School districts must meet WCAG 2.1 AA by April 24, 2026 under DOJ Title II regulations.
3. FERPA Student Privacy
Student portals must protect education records while remaining accessible to students and parents with disabilities.
Our integrated package addresses all three requirements: IT-09 compliance (state), ADA compliance (federal), and FERPA privacy—saving 30-40% vs. separate audits.
Integrated Compliance Assessment
FERPA Privacy Review
- • Education records protection
- • Access control verification
- • Consent mechanism audit
- • Directory information settings
Accessibility Testing
- • WCAG 2.1 AA audit
- • LMS accessibility review
- • Student portal testing
- • Assistive tech compatibility
Integration Analysis
- • Accessible authentication
- • Parent/student access flows
- • Session management
- • Error handling & recovery
Deliverables
- ✓ FERPA privacy assessment report
- ✓ WCAG 2.1 AA compliance report
- ✓ LMS accessibility evaluation
- ✓ Student portal audit
- ✓ Integrated remediation roadmap
- ✓ Ohio IT-09 compliance documentation
- ✓ Section 508 VPAT (if applicable)
- ✓ Training materials for faculty/staff
FERPA + Accessibility Package Pricing
Bundled assessment saves 25-35% vs. separate audits
Small School/District
Under 1,000 students
Medium School/District
1,000-5,000 students
Related Services
Ohio IT-09 Policy Compliance
Ohio public schools must meet IT-09 requirements (January 2025)
ADA Title II Compliance
Federal DOJ requirements for public schools (April 2026 deadline)
Education Accessibility Training
Train faculty, IT staff, and content authors on accessible learning
Ongoing FERPA + Accessibility Monitoring
Continuous compliance for evolving LMS and student portals