Five Ways State and Local Governments Can Scale Accessibility

Scaling accessibility across state and local government is rarely straightforward. Progress in one department can be undone the moment another publishes content or procures a new third-party tool. Instead of driving modernization, accessibility teams are constantly playing catch-up with no clear path to scale their impact.

Meanwhile, citizens have higher expectations than ever for the quality and accessibility of digital experiences, and regulatory pressure is mounting, with new rulemaking under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) taking effect in 2026. So, how can accessibility leaders bring their programs out of reactive mode and drive meaningful progress?

In this blog, we’ll share five practical ways to shift from fragmented fixes to sustainable, scalable accessibility—while improving the digital services communities rely on most.

Why is scaling accessibility difficult in government?

It’s common for state and local government agencies to struggle with scaling their accessibility initiatives. Fragmented ownership of digital experiences, legacy habits, and limited resources can all slow momentum. To drive change that lasts, teams need to unlearn old ways of working and embrace accessibility as a system-wide practice that can mature over time.

Five ways to start scaling your accessibility initiatives

For state and local governments, the path to accessibility progress often requires working differently. If you’re unsure where to begin, use the following strategies to start building momentum and laying the foundation for a scalable program.

1. Put accessibility on the executive agenda.

Accessibility programs don’t scale without visible leadership backing. Securing that support takes persuasion, but many program leads who are ready to influence strategy stumble when it comes to pulling the right levers. So where do you begin?

The key is to adopt a stakeholder mindset, framing accessibility in terms executives already care about. For some, that means aligning it with digital transformation priorities, like modernizing services to meet rising community expectations. For others, the focus will be reducing legal risk, particularly as the deadline for compliance with new ADA Title II requirements approaches.

When stakeholders understand how accessibility supports higher level organizational objectives, they’re less likely to treat it as a separate side project, and more likely to provide the budget and resources you need for program expansion.

2. Start with high-impact public-facing digital experiences.

Many government agencies manage a large volume of digital assets, encompassing websites, apps, documents, and third-party tools. For accessibility leaders, the sheer volume of content that must be tested and remediated can be overwhelming. In particular, teams are often faced with an unmanageable backlog of PDFs that were posted without accessibility checks, rendering them unreadable to users of assistive technologies.

It’s important to remember that not everything needs to be made accessible right away. Start by focusing on the assets that are most frequently trafficked by users, and most visible, as these are the most likely to expose you to legal risk. Typically, high-priority assets include your agency’s primary website, widely used forms, and widely distributed PDFs. At the same time, don’t be afraid to retire old or unused documents if they no longer serve the public. You can also treat this as an opportunity to modernize static PDFs by translating them into mobile-friendly formats.

3. Bake accessibility in. Don’t bolt it on.

Reactive fixes are costly, frustrating, and unsustainable. When accessibility is only considered after a site update goes live or a document has been published, agencies spend valuable time reworking content, while citizens are left struggling to access essential services.

The smarter path is to build accessibility in from the start. Equip content creators with tools they can use to proactively check their work for accessibility, like Figma plugins for designers, SDKs for developers, and document accessibility solutions for content authors.

When procuring new third-party technology, set clear expectations around product accessibility with vendors. Require that vendors provide a completed Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®)—ideally from a reputable expert—so you can be confident the tools you’re buying won’t jeopardize your compliance.

4. Make culture the catalyst for scale.

Your accessibility program won’t scale without cultural change. Executive backing, internal tools, and procurement policies can take you part of the way, but embedding accessibility into your organization’s culture will make your program stick.

Until accessibility belongs to everyone, it will be challenging to make meaningful progress across the organization. When it’s treated as a technical task or left to IT or communications alone (which is common), momentum stalls.

So, how can you help teams understand that accessibility is an organizational initiative, not a departmental chore? A powerful way to shift that narrative is to let staff experience an inaccessible service firsthand. For example, consider bringing teams together to navigate a public website with a screen reader. This type of immersive education makes your program’s impact real in a way no policy ever could.

When teams understand not just what to do, but why it matters, accessibility becomes instinctive.

5. Engage an expert partner for support.

Even the most mature programs don’t scale with tools alone—they scale with expertise. The right accessibility partner will help your agency set measurable goals, embed accessibility into design, development, and content authoring workflows, and train teams across the organization. They bring both technical depth and strategic insight into how accessibility supports government priorities.

With access to ongoing guidance from experts, along with a robust set of tools, agencies can confidently sustain compliance, strengthen culture, and ensure all digital services are available to every citizen.

Scale your accessibility program with an end-to-end solution

No matter the size of your organization or the number of digital assets you manage, Level Access will help you ensure ongoing accessibility and compliance. Backed by more than 25 years of leadership in digital accessibility, we equip government programs with the technology, training, and expertise to move beyond short-term fixes and achieve long-term impact.

Our end-to-end solution delivers capabilities across the three pillars of successful digital accessibility programs: Audit & Test, Build & Fix, and Governance & Reporting. Connect with our team today to learn how we can support your program’s growth.

Frequently asked questions

Why is scaling accessibility difficult in government?

Scaling accessibility is challenging for many government agencies because ownership is fragmented, resources are limited, and outdated practices (like reliance on PDFs) create barriers. Progress is often reactive instead of coordinated.

How do third-party products factor into digital accessibility compliance?

Buying inaccessible third-party technology can jeopardize the success of your accessibility program and expose your organization to legal risks. To ensure your vendors support your compliance goals, build accessibility requirements into your procurement policies, and prioritize partners that can provide VPAT reports from reputable experts.

What do the new ADA Title II rules mean for state and local governments?

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) now requires state and local governments to meet web and mobile accessibility standards by April 2026 (for larger jurisdictions) or April 2027 (for smaller ones). Building a scalable accessibility practice now will help your agency meet these deadlines, avoid legal risk, and deliver services all citizens can use.