Shocking (and Sad) Statistics about Literacy and Reading

According to The Literacy Company and Evelyn Wood Reading Dynamics:

• Over 50 of NASA employees are dyslexic. They actually sought after by the organization because they have superb problem-solving skills.
• More than 20 percent of adults read at or below the fifth grad level; this is well below what they need to earn a living wage.
• Nearly three out of five prison inmates are illiterate.
• Eighty-five percent of all juvenile offenders have reading problems.
• More than 75 percent of those on welfare are illiterate.
• More than 1 million children drop out of school every year.
• About 50 percent of America's unemployed youths are functionally illiterate, meaning they can't carry out simple tasks like balancing a checkbook or reading drug levels.
• Forty-four million American adults are poor readers or "functionally illiterate."
• Twenty-one million American adults can't read at all; one-fifth of high school graduates can't read their diplomas.
• One-third of high school graduates never read another book for the rest of their lives.
• Forty-two percent of college graduates never read another book.
• Seventy percent of Americans haven't visited a bookstore in five or more years.
• Fifty-seven percent of new books are not read to completion.

For more workforce statistics and demographic trends, visit the Perfect Labor Storm website.

Comments

[Eric]

Forty Two Percent... Wow, just Wow. I really really hope that I am never one of those graduates. Well, I guess I should graduate first, and then worry about reading. But this is what I found most interesting:

"More than 20 percent of adults read at or below the fifth grad level; this is well below what they need to earn a living wage."

Can you say training? HR professionals need to take new outlook on thier low-wage employees and get invovled in helping them become more qualified individuals. Many low-wage jobs do not require any reading skills, but it is the organization's job to help thier employees and instill value in thier company.

[mattatstetson]

The fact that I found very interesting was the one about NASA employees and how 50 of them are actually illiterate and are hired because they have superb problem solving skills. It amazes me that they thought of something like that. The other fact that astonished me was the one about 42% of college grads and how they never read another book. This is trully astonishing and really bothers me, especially because I am about to graduate from college in a month.

[Jay Schleifer]

As part of a BLR research project, the "National Employee Attitude Survey" we're offering a free employee attitude survey to any employer who'd like to have one done.

Read about it at http://hrdailyadvisor.blr.com/NEAS.

Employers are asked to sign up by April 20.