Framing Policies and Procedures to Include Digital Literacies for Online Learning during and beyond Crises

We are approaching the 20-month mark on the historic closure of school buildings and the move to remote instruction doe to the COVID-19 pandemic. Public health directives currently allow options for remote, online, blended, and fully in-person educational delivery in some parts of the world, but there is still a need for precautions and vigilance. Due to these circumstances, the need for policies that support online and digital learning has increased. This column argues for the need to consider digital literacies as part of comprehensive plans for online learning inside and outside of pandemic. The author provides background information on the various levels of preparation for pandemic learning in various US states, familiarizes readers with some current plans in state legislatures about online learning, and theorizes how digital literacies might be included in policies moving forward.