More
than 90 million American adults have extremely limited reading skills.
In
2002 it was estimated that 960,000 – 1,230,000 (1 in 3) employed Hoosiers had literacy skills below the minimum standard for successful employment in a knowledge based economy.
Low literacy skills cost our nation
$2 billion each year - in workplace accidents, lower productivity
and lost tax revenue.
Workers, employers and the state of Indiana suffer when inadequate workforce literacy
skills are not addressed.
Children of parents who have not completed high school are
two times as likely to drop out.
Seventy percent of adult welfare recipients function at the lowest level of literacy.
The children
of low-literate parents tend to get poor care and poor nutrition at home
and tend to do poorly in school.
Literacy programs produce positive economic impact for
the student and the community as a whole.
About 45% of prison inmates do not have a high school diploma.
Family members, especially spouses are usually aware that
their loved one lacks basic literacy skills.
