Sad State of Literacy in U.S.

Consider the following frightening statistics about literacy in the United States, compiled from the U.S. Department of Education, the National Education Assn., and the National Commission on Excellence in Education:

* One in five adults in America (20% of the population) is functionally illiterate. An additional 34% are marginally literate.

* The United States ranks 49th among 156 United Nation member countries in its rate of literacy (a drop of 18 places since 1950).

* About 15 million adults holding jobs today are functionally illiterate. In the future, up to one-third of the nation’s work force will be unable to perform their jobs because of poor reading skills.

* 2.2 million people are added to the adult illiterate population of the United States every year. That’s 44,000 per week.

* The high school dropout rate in the United States is 27%. In Japan the rate is 5% and in Russia, 2%.

* 15% of current graduates of urban high schools can read at less than a sixth-grade level. One million teen-agers between the ages of 12 and 17 cannot read at even a fourth-grade level.

* 50% of American adults are unable to read an 8th-grade level book. Forty-four percent of American adults do not read even one book in the course of a year.

* On average, an illiterate adult earns 42% less than a literate high school graduate.