- The U.S. ranks 10th out of 17 high-income countries in literacy proficiency with native-born citizens.
- The U.S. Department of Education found that half of the U.S. adult population does not possess the most basic level of reading ability, level 3.
- Literacy helps to ensure intellectual and character development with the end result being responsible and productive citizens.
- The linkage of literacy and an educated workforce is key to the success of the community.
- Low literacy skills, low incomes and health problems are all related.
- 43% of people with the lowest literacy skills live in poverty; of this, 17% receive food stamps and 70% have no full or part time job.
- Literacy changes lives - Persons of success credits the ability to read as the primary reason for their success.
- Poverty - 43% of adults at the lowest level of literacy proficiency live in poverty.
- Welfare - 70% of mothers on welfare have reading skills in the lowest two proficiency levels. This fact is particularly alarming considering that a mother's literacy level is one of the most significant predictors of a child's future literacy skills!
- Employment Status - Adults at the lowest level of literacy proficiency work an average of 19 weeks per year, compared to 44 weeks per year for those at the highest level. American businesses lose over $60 billion in productivity each year due to employee's lack of basic reading skills.
- Crime - 7 in 10 prisoners read at the lowest two literacy skill levels.
- U.S. Department of Commerce
- Bureau of the Census
- International Adult Literacy Survey (IALS)
- National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
- National Even Start Family Literacy Program
- National Household Education Survey
- U.S. Department of Education
© 2007. All rights reserved.
Site by: Straw Dog Multimedia