The Lambton Kent District School Board (LKDSB) released its district-wide Accessibility and Equity Plan on January 29, 2026. The roadmap is designed to make schools across Chatham-Kent — including those in Chatham, Ontario — more accessible and equitable for students and staff by modernizing aging infrastructure and expanding supports for people with disabilities.
Phase 1 of implementation is scheduled to begin in Summer 2026 at several Chatham sites, including Queen Elizabeth II Public School and McNaughton Avenue Public School. Planned physical upgrades include ramps, elevators and other universal-design improvements to improve mobility and access throughout older buildings.
LKDSB Chair Kelley Robertson (re-elected as chair in November 2025) noted that many local elementary schools are more than 50 years old — the district’s elementary schools have an average age of about 51 years — making accessibility upgrades a priority.
Beyond building retrofits, the plan expands classroom technology and supports, including AI-driven speech-to-text tools and other digital accessibility resources. It also mandates staff training in inclusive pedagogy and supports for neurodiverse learners.
The plan responds to provincial accessibility expectations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and the K–12 education standards recommendations. It establishes an annual internal Equity Audit system to evaluate physical and digital barriers at each school and track progress toward removing those barriers district-wide.
