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Poverty & Public Assistance
- Adults with lower literacy skills are more likely to be reliant on public assistance, including TANF and Medicaid.
- In 2003, 43% of adults with the lowest level of literacy skills were living in poverty, compared to only 4% of those with the highest level of skill.
SOURCES: Kirsch et al., (1993). Adult Literacy in America: A first look at the results of the National Adult Literacy Suvery. & Kutner et al., (2007). Literacy in Everyday Life: Results from the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (National Center for Education Statistics).
Children's Literacy Skills
- Adults with lower literacy skills are less likely to read to their children. Children who have not already developed basic literacy practices when they enter school are 3 to 4 times more likely to drop out of school in the long run.
- A mother’s literacy level is one of the most significant predictors of a child’s future success in school. 70% of mothers receiving public assistance have literacy skills in the lowest two proficiency levels.
- Children of adults who participate in literacy programs improve their grades and test scores, improve their reading skills, and are less likely to drop out of school.
SOURCES: National Adult Literacy Survey of 2003. & Reder, S. (1996). The State of Literacy in America. Synthetic Estimates of Adult Literacy Proficiency at the local, state, and national levels. & National Institute for Literacy.
The Criminal Justice System
- Low literacy and low educational attainment are highly correlated with higher crime rates.
- 85% of all juveniles who interface with the juvenile court system are functionally non-literate.
- Probationers who receive literacy training have significantly lower rearrest rates than those who don’t get help with literacy. Those who obtain a GED have an even lower rearrest rate.
SOURCES: National Assessment of Adult Literacy, 2003. & Siegel, G. R., (1997). A research study to determine the effect of literacy and general educational development programs on adult offenders on probation. Adult Probation of the Superior Court in Pima County, Arizona.
Jobs & The Economy
- Adults with the lowest level of literacy skills earn a median income of approximately $240 per week, compared to $681 for those with the highest level of literacy skills.
- Limited literacy skills cost businesses and taxpayers approximately $20 billion a year in lost wages, profits, and productivity.
SOURCES: National Institute for Literacy, 2003. & Barnett, (1995). Future of Children. Vol. 5, No. 3.
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