By DistrictProof · Published · Source links checked on this date.
Download the worksheet
Free to use without registration. Open the CSV in Excel, Google Sheets or another spreadsheet tool. The blank file has a header row and one empty row; the separate example shows how to make a decision record. The field guide below is the HTML reading version.
Which PDFs should a school district review first?
Begin with the documents people need for current tasks, known access barriers and time-sensitive services. Give each file an owner, a proposed next action and a reason for its place in the queue. This worksheet organizes those decisions; it does not test accessibility or decide whether a legal exception applies.
The DOJ’s planning guidance recommends prioritizing key tasks, essential or frequently accessed information and reported barriers. Our first / next / needs decision labels are a suggested way to organize that work, not categories created by the rule.
Build one inventory before buying remediation
Start with publicly linked PDFs, then have department owners identify relevant documents a crawl did not locate. Include linked board portals and other publishing locations in the inventory boundary. Record what was covered and what remains unknown; a public website inventory is not proof that every district document was found.
Keep one record per file, identify its current version and list duplicate locations in Notes. Retain earlier version evidence when a replacement arrives. A page count helps estimate work, but it does not describe form behavior, table complexity or the quality of the editable source. Leave unknown fields marked as unknown until someone checks them. Do not mark an untested file as passed.
Use a simple decision sequence
- Establish current use. Ask the owner which family, staff or public task the document supports, and whether a replacement already exists.
- Record evidence. Separate an observed barrier from a suspicion. Note the exact version, task and check method when a finding exists.
- Choose a proposed action. Remediation is one option. A better source export, an HTML page or correction of duplicate links may be more useful for a particular task.
- Assign the next step. Name the role, dependency and target date. An exception or records decision remains pending until the authorized district reviewer records it.
- Close the publication loop. After acceptance, connect the posted URL and version to the review record. Recheck replacements rather than carrying a result forward automatically.
Read a fictional triage example
These three records illustrate planning decisions. They are not findings from a district engagement. None of the example documents has been tested, and the example URLs are intentionally non-working reserved addresses.
| Document | Planning priority | Reason and next action |
|---|---|---|
| Current enrollment form | First | Families use it to enroll. Confirm the owner, obtain the editable source and arrange form-task review. |
| Current budget report | Next | Current information with tables. Obtain the source tables and define reading tasks; an access request could move it earlier. |
| Historical newsletter | Needs decision | Establish current use, posting history and records duties. Refer any proposed exception to the authorized reviewer; do not delete it based on age. |
What each worksheet field records
| CSV field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Record ID | A stable identifier for the file. Keep it when the file is replaced. |
| Document title | A recognizable title, including the school year or meeting date where useful. |
| Public URL | The URL families use; record duplicate locations in Notes. |
| Page count | The page count of this version; leave unknown until checked. |
| Source available | Editable original, PDF only, scan, or unknown. |
| Content owner | The department or role that can approve meaning and changes. |
| Current user task | What a person needs this file to do today. |
| Known barrier or review status | An observed issue and method, or Not yet assessed. Do not turn a guess into a test result. |
| Proposed action | Review and remediate, improve source and re-export, consider HTML, investigate duplication, or seek an exception decision. |
| Priority | First, next, or needs decision. These are internal planning labels. |
| Reason for priority | The access need, current use, deadline, or dependency behind the label. |
| Next action | A specific action that can be completed and checked. |
| Assigned role | The person or role responsible for that next action. |
| Target date | The district-selected date; use YYYY-MM-DD. |
| Exception or records decision | Not requested, pending authorized review, or decision recorded with its basis. This field is not an exemption. |
| Reviewed version and evidence | Version or checksum, date, methods, coverage, findings, and evidence location when available. |
| Publication status | Not started, awaiting approval, posted awaiting check, or posted version verified, with date and URL. |
| Notes | Dependencies, duplicate links, unresolved questions, or the decision record location. |
Treat older files as a decision, not an automatic exemption
An old filename, a low download count or an “archive” folder does not settle the question. The archived-content and preexisting-document exceptions have different conditions. Current use can affect whether an exception applies, and other ADA obligations remain. Review the DOJ exception summary and our older-PDF guide with the district’s authorized reviewer.
Keep records retention, public-records duties and accessibility decisions connected. Do not remove a record merely to reduce the page count. Record the decision owner and basis, and maintain the district’s route for accessible access while an issue is being resolved.
Turn the inventory into a scoped project
Filter the inventory into approved production batches. Keep the file IDs, versions and required outputs fixed when requesting quotes. Include a representative form, a table-heavy file and a scan where those occur in your real backlog. Ask bidders to identify what they will return, what a person will test and what staff still need to do.
Use the PDF remediation RFP and SOW template to carry those requirements into purchasing. The sample evidence report shows how the delivery record can connect to this inventory. Keep pricing and production quantities in the agreed written scope.
Keep the worksheet current
Review the queue when a new document, accessibility request, meeting packet or replacement version arrives. Update status after approvals and publication checks. Keep assigned actions separate from completed work, and retain the reasoning behind a changed priority.
Use only the information needed for the planning task. Start with public URLs and file identifiers; keep student records, credentials and other sensitive information out of a broadly shared worksheet.
Sources and next step
DOJ: first steps, including inventory and prioritization; DOJ: rule fact sheet and exception conditions. Sources checked November 7, 2026. The worksheet structure and fictional examples are DistrictProof planning suggestions.
Want help identifying publicly linked files? Request your free PDF Backlog Report. It is a starting inventory and planning conversation; the approved file list and production scope are confirmed separately.