Adult Literacy

Facts

Legislators or their aides may be new to adult education and literacy issues. Use these facts from the 2009 Fact Sheet on Adult Education and Family Literacy Appropriations to guide them; supplement national facts with local and state data.

For Example:
What is Adult Education?

• Adult education is an education program serving adults, 16 years of age and older, who are functionally below the high school completion level. These programs emphasize instruction in reading, numeracy, and English language learning.

Is Adult Education a Good Investment?

• The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) rated adult education “Effective”—the highest rating. Only four of 96 programs in Department of Education received an “Effective” rating.

What is the Need?

• One in five adults in the United States have not completed high school (U.S. Census).
• Ninety three million adults (45% of the adult population) function below the high school level; 30 million, or one in seven adults cannot complete a job application, read to their children, understand a prescription label, or complete an election ballot. Eleven million cannot communicate in English (National Assessment of Adult Literacy).
• Only 3 million (3% of those in need) can access adult education services.

What is the Demand?

• Over 80,000 adults were on waiting lists for federally-funded adult education programs in 2007-2008 (National Council of State Directors of Adult Education).

Why Does Adult Education Matter?
Adult education:

• Helps adults get and keep good jobs with family sustaining wages
• Ends dependency on public assistance and helps adults contribute to the tax base
• Increases productivity for businesses
• Keeps America competitive in a global marketplace
• Prepares parents to be their child’s first and most important teacher
• Reduces crime and recidivism
• Improves the health of individuals, families, and communities

What should Congress do?
Congress should increase access to adult education and literacy services over the next four years from 2.5 million to:

• 5 million served in 2010-2011
• 7 ½ million served in 2011-2012
• 10 million served in 2012-2013
• 12 ½ million served in 2013-2014

Fact Sheets

Ages of Adult Education Participants
NRS Fast Facts presents a national and state picture of who participates in federally-funded adult education. The age groups are 16 18, 19-24, 25-44, 45-59, and 60 and older.

Basic Facts About Adult Literacy
ProLiteracy offers quick facts on adult literacy from a national and international perspective.

Characteristics of English Literacy Participants in Adult Education: 2000-2005
NRS Fast Facts presents a national and state picture of English literacy participants from 2001–2005.

Characteristics of the Least-Literate Participants in Adult Basic Education Beginning Literacy Programs: 2001-2005
NRS Fast Facts presents a national and state picture of the least-literate participants in beginning literacy programs from 2001–2005. These participants have the lowest literacy skills. Thus, they often have the most trouble meeting goals, like finding and keeping a job or earning a diploma or GED credential.

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