Assessing and improving digital learning readiness: A review and roadmap for future research

This article examines the evolving concept of student readiness in K–12 online learning, highlighting its multidimensional nature across cognitive, behavioral, and affective domains. Although numerous instruments, most notably the Educational Success Prediction Instrument (ESPRI), have been developed to predict online learning success, existing tools remain more effective at identifying students likely to succeed than those at risk of struggling. The literature reveals critical gaps in capturing contextual factors such as parental involvement, self-regulation, engagement, and environmental supports, all of which significantly influence student outcomes. The paper also addresses concerns regarding the use of readiness assessments as gatekeeping mechanisms that restrict access rather than guiding supportive interventions. Positioned against this backdrop, the Academic Communities of Engagement (ACE) framework is presented as a model for aligning readiness data with targeted, equitable supports across teachers, families, peers, and mentors. Recommendations include implementing validated readiness instruments as developmental tools, providing structured school-day time for online learning, establishing ongoing pulse-check routines, and embedding social-presence practices. The article concludes by identifying needed research on instrument validation, personalized onboarding, sustained supports, and equity-focused implementation to ensure readiness measures function as catalysts for expanded access and student success in digital learning environments.