Michigan ADA Website Compliance Guide

🚨 Critical Deadline

April 24, 2026

Over 2,300 Michigan government websites must comply

🚨 MICHIGAN: GROUND ZERO FOR EDUCATION ENFORCEMENT

BREAKING: 2,400+ OCR Complaints Filed by Michigan Alliance for Special Education against school districts statewide. Over 1,000 districts now under federal resolution agreements—the largest education ADA enforcement action in history.

📈 Lawsuit Surge: 67 cases in 2025 (up from 19 in 2024). Average settlements increased to $58,000. Michigan became the test case for nationwide advocacy groups.

💰 Emergency Compliance Costs: Districts spending $75,000+ on urgent remediation. Many redirecting technology budgets to accessibility fixes. Emergency timelines cost 3-4x normal rates.

🎯 Ripple Effect: Advocacy groups in California, Texas, Florida preparing similar mass complaint campaigns. Michigan's success emboldens nationwide enforcement.

⚠️ All Entities at Risk: If school districts with dedicated IT staff got caught off-guard, cities and counties with smaller budgets face even greater risk.

⏰ 6-Month Warning: April 2026 deadline approaches. Michigan's crisis proves no entity is too small or too prepared. Act now or become the next enforcement target.

Michigan by the Numbers

10.0 million

Population

2381

Government Entities

67

Recent ADA Lawsuits

$$58,000

Average Settlement

Who Must Comply in Michigan?

  • 83 counties - All county government websites
  • 533 cities and towns - Municipal websites and portals
  • 515 school districts - K-12 education websites
  • 1250 special districts - Water, fire, parks, libraries

Michigan-Specific Requirements

Michigan Compiled Laws include accessibility requirements for all state and local government digital services.

Recent Michigan ADA Lawsuit Cases

Michigan Alliance for Special Education: 2,400+ OCR complaints filed (2024-2025)

1,000+ school districts under OCR resolution agreements

Anderson v. Wayne County (2024) - $67,000 settlement

Thompson v. Detroit Public Schools (2023) - $58,000 settlement

Mass school compliance crisis - largest education enforcement ever

Major Michigan Cities Affected

Large entities (50,000+ population) must comply by April 24, 2026:

  • Detroit
  • Grand Rapids
  • Warren
  • Sterling Heights
  • Ann Arbor

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