Accessibility Statement

Our Commitment to Accessibility

MiddleSchoolGPA.com is committed to ensuring that our website and calculator tools are accessible to all users, including students, parents, and educators with disabilities. We are actively working to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standard, which is the internationally recognized benchmark for digital accessibility.

Our site is primarily used by middle school students ages 11–14. We recognize that this audience includes students with a wide range of abilities, including those with visual, motor, cognitive, or learning disabilities. Making our tools accessible is not an afterthought — it is a core part of our design philosophy.

Accessibility Features Implemented

We have implemented the following accessibility features across the site:

• Skip navigation link: A "Skip to main content" link appears at the top of every page for keyboard and screen reader users. This allows users to bypass the navigation menu and jump directly to the main content.
• Semantic HTML structure: We use proper HTML5 semantic elements — including <nav>, <main>, <header>, <footer>, <section>, and appropriate heading hierarchy — so that screen readers and other assistive technologies can correctly interpret the page structure.
• ARIA labels and roles: Interactive elements including calculator inputs, buttons, and dynamic result displays include descriptive ARIA labels and roles where native HTML semantics are insufficient.
• Keyboard navigation: All interactive elements — calculator inputs, buttons, dropdowns, and navigation links — are accessible via keyboard. Users can navigate the entire site and use all calculator features using only Tab, Enter, Space, and arrow keys, without requiring a mouse.
• Color contrast: Text and interactive elements are designed to meet or exceed WCAG 2.1 AA contrast ratio requirements. Normal body text maintains at least a 4.5:1 contrast ratio against background colors. Large text and UI components maintain at least a 3:1 contrast ratio.
• Resizable text: The site functions correctly and remains usable when browser text size is increased up to 200% through browser zoom settings, without loss of content or functionality.
• No auto-playing content: We do not use auto-playing audio or video. We do not display animations that flash more than three times per second, which could trigger photosensitive seizures.
• Descriptive labels for form inputs: All form inputs in our calculators include associated visible labels. Required fields are clearly marked. Error messages are descriptive and explain what needs to be corrected.
• Alt text for images: Functional images and icons that convey information include descriptive alt text. Purely decorative images use empty alt attributes so they are ignored by screen readers.
• Readable language: We write content at a reading level accessible to students ages 11 and up, using plain language and avoiding unnecessary jargon. Complex concepts are explained in context.
• Responsive design: The site is fully responsive and works correctly on screens from mobile phones to desktop monitors. The calculator adapts to different viewport sizes without requiring horizontal scrolling.

Known Limitations

While we strive for full accessibility, the following limitations currently exist:

• Third-party advertising: When Google AdSense is activated on this site, third-party advertising content may not fully comply with our accessibility standards. We have no control over the accessibility of ads served by external ad networks. We will include a note about this when ads are active.
• Complex data tables: Some data tables in our guides — particularly multi-column GPA scale tables — may present navigation challenges for some screen reader configurations. We work to include text descriptions alongside these tables as an alternative.
• Dynamic calculator results: When the GPA calculator updates results dynamically as you type, screen reader users may need to navigate to the results area manually to hear the updated GPA value. We are evaluating improvements to live region announcements to address this.

Supported Browsers and Assistive Technologies

We test accessibility with the following combinations:

• Screen readers: NVDA with Firefox (Windows), JAWS with Chrome (Windows), VoiceOver with Safari (macOS and iOS), TalkBack with Chrome (Android)
• Browsers: Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge (current and one prior major version)
• Operating systems: Windows 10 and 11, macOS 12 and newer, iOS 15 and newer, Android 11 and newer

How to Report Accessibility Issues

If you encounter an accessibility barrier on MiddleSchoolGPA.com, we want to know about it. Your feedback helps us identify and fix issues quickly.

• Email: [email protected] — include "Accessibility" in the subject line
• What to include: The URL of the page where you encountered the barrier, a description of the problem, the assistive technology and browser you were using, and what you expected to happen versus what actually happened
• Response time: We aim to respond to all accessibility reports within 5 business days and to resolve confirmed barriers as quickly as possible

Formal Complaints

If you are not satisfied with our response to an accessibility concern, you may contact the U.S. Department of Justice's ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY) for information about filing a formal complaint.

Continuous Improvement

Accessibility is an ongoing commitment, not a one-time fix. We review our site for accessibility issues at least annually and whenever we make significant design or content changes. We incorporate accessibility testing into our development process for new features. Our goal is to progressively improve accessibility over time and to respond quickly when barriers are reported.