Key takeaways

• The 2024 DOJ rule requires schools to meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards by 2026 to 2027, making inclusive AI tool evaluation legally necessary

• With 85% of teachers and 86% of students using AI in 2024-25, systematic evaluation ensures equitable access across your district

• A four-step framework can guide your decisions: identify learner profiles, map to accessibility standards, conduct equity tests, and pilot and monitor.

• Your leadership in choosing educational AI tools directly impacts historically overlooked learners

• With the AI education market reaching $7.57 billion in 2025, systematic evaluation protects students from algorithmic bias

Educational AI tools are reshaping student learning. 85% of teachers and 86% of students used AI during the 2024-25 school year, but speed alone isn't enough. As a district administrator, thoughtful AI tool evaluation ensures these tools benefit all students. 

Beyond this, the U.S. Department of Justice's April 2024 ADA Title II rule requires education agencies to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards by 2026 for large districts and 2027 for smaller ones.

With the AI education market reaching $7.57 billion in 2025, your leadership must guide AI tool evaluation. You need an evaluation process that places accessibility and equity on equal footing with cost and features. Your decisions determine how AI supports teaching across your district.

The importance of accessibility in educational AI tools

Accessibility means designing digital resources so students with disabilities can perceive, operate, understand, and rely on them. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 capture these four POUR pillars: Perceivable, Operable, Understandable, and Robust. These pillars carry the weight of law under the 2024 Department of Justice Final Rule for ADA Title II.

The right AI-supported educational platforms can support your district in meeting those requirements:

• Voice control and keyboard-only navigation make interfaces user-friendly for students needing alternative input methods.

• Automatic captioning and alt-text generation make content perceivable for students with visual or hearing differences.

• Plain-language explanations support understandable workflows for all learners.

• Continuous model updates, tested with assistive technologies, keep tools robust over time.

The University of Illinois's Speech Accessibility Project demonstrates how AI can better serve students with speech disabilities. The tool's misunderstanding rate decreased from 20 percent to 12 percent after incorporating specialized training data.

AI personalization takes this further. Adaptive platforms enable teachers to create branching pathways, allowing students requiring visual supports to view diagrams while others receive concise text. Platforms like SchoolAI build these accessibility features into their foundation, ensuring compliance isn't an afterthought.

Equity as a core criterion in AI tool evaluation

Beyond basic accessibility compliance, equity demands a deeper examination of how educational AI tools serve all learners. When evaluating technology, separate equity from equality.

Equality gives every student the same resources. Equity removes barriers so each student can reach their potential. The question isn't whether a tool works in general; it's whether it works for students who have been historically overlooked.

And significant challenges persist. Only 50% of higher education institutions offer students generative AI access through institution-wide licenses, with cost as the top barrier. Access to popular generative AI tools could cost about $1,000 per year, a substantial barrier for low-income students.

The digital divide remains critical. In 2021, 35% of low-income California households still didn't have reliable internet access, and nearly half of parents with lower incomes lacked reliable internet connectivity at home. Your district needs responsible AI systems designed with equity from day one. 

The Digital Equity Framework highlights five interconnected areas:

• Leadership commitment to prioritizing inclusive technology decisions

• Coherent policies supporting equitable implementation

• Consistent device access for full participation

• Digital competency development for students and educators

• Meaningful learning experiences connecting to students' lives

Personalized AI learning improves student outcomes by up to 30%, with adaptive platforms adjusting pacing and content so students needing more practice receive it without stigma. Students in AI-enhanced programs achieve 54%higher test scores than traditional environments. Yet algorithms can create new barriers, and AI systems trained on biased datasets perpetuate discrimination. 

This is why the right platform is crucial.

A 4-step framework for inclusive AI tool evaluation

This framework gives you a practical path for AI tool evaluation that respects your budget and timeline while keeping students' diverse needs central.

Step 1: Identify learner profiles and accommodations

Consider the real students across your district. Students like Maria, who relies on screen-reading software, or James, whose family shares one laptop among three siblings. Nearly 60% of teachers of students with disabilities reported using AI to develop individualized education plans during 2024-25.

Step 2: Map tool capabilities to WCAG 2.2 and UDL checkpoints

Compare each feature to POUR criteria and UDL guidelines. The NEA decision tree helps you ask:

• Can students access features with just a keyboard?

• Can students change font size, color, or background?

• Can students use text-to-speech or screen readers?

• Can students pause and go back?

If exploring AI for teachers, check whether tools meet POUR criteria. Document gaps for vendor conversations. Given that 53% of students expressed concern about receiving incorrect information from AI, accuracy is key.

Step 3: Conduct accessibility and equity tests

Assign IT staff to run automated scans with tools like WAVE or Axe. Use the Digital Equity Framework to assess socio-economic impacts. Verify data practices align with district privacy requirements.

With the education sector experiencing an average of 4,388 cyberattacks weekly, security is critical. In 2025, the sector experienced 1,075 security incidents with 851 confirmed data breaches. SchoolAI is secure by design and prioritizes data security, building safeguards that protect student information.

Step 4: Decide, pilot, and monitor

Ask vendors for Accessibility Conformance Reports. Start small with a pilot group reflecting your district's diversity. Despite widespread adoption, less than half of teachers and students received training or information from their districts, making ongoing monitoring essential.

Supporting every student through thoughtful AI evaluation

Thoughtful AI tool evaluation creates learning environments where every student can participate and succeed. This framework gives you practical tools to make decisions with confidence.

When you’re ready to implement this process, sign your school up for SchoolAI. SchoolAI's Mission Control provides real-time insights into student engagement across your district. The adaptive content built around Universal Design for Learning principles offers multiple ways for students to engage and succeed.

Ready to evaluate AI tools that work for every student? Try SchoolAI today to discover how thoughtful technology can enhance learning outcomes while keeping every student at the center.