School facilities: inclusive school playgrounds

Federal accessibility rules set a baseline but do not necessarily provide for fully inclusive play. The resource is intended to help public schools plan playgrounds with features that support physical, sensory, cognitive, and social play for pupils of all abilities.

What the law does ​

• Requires the California Department of Education to curate and maintain an online resource showing best practices for inclusive school playground design.
• Requires the guidance to address universal design, equipment, surfacing, sensory features, safety, maintenance, current research, and the needs of underserved, rural, and special-needs communities.
• Allows the department to consult advocacy and parent organizations, recommend incentives or requirements with state and local agencies, host forums, develop resources, and educate local educational agencies.

Who it affects ​

• Pupils with physical, sensory, intellectual, or developmental disabilities.
• Nondisabled pupils who use public-school playgrounds.
• Local educational agencies planning, building, or maintaining school playgrounds.

Context ​

An inclusive school playground is an outdoor public-school play area designed beyond minimum accessibility requirements so disabled and nondisabled pupils can play together.