The Crisis

Join the fight for a
more literate society!

Hope for the Future

"When I learned to read,
I was finally free."

At age 35, John Zickefoose was unable to read his children's report cards.

Today, he's a school board member and founder of a local nonprofit. See how we're addressing the adult literacy crisis.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Low literacy is a global crisis that affects all of us. That's why it's so important to understand the issues and confront the facts head on. Only then can we can stand together to fight for change.

U.S.Facts

Adults Over 16

Corrections

Health

Workforce

English for Speakers of Other Languages

Women

International Facts

Child & Teen Pregnancy

Child and Teen Pregnancy

Education

Impacted Regions

Literacy and Economics

A 1% increase in average literacy rates yields a 1.5% permanent increase in the GDP.

Per capita income in countries with a literacy rate less than 55% averages about $600

Youth Literacy

Overall, more than half of countries with data have youth literacy rates of 95% or higher

Sources: The National Assessment of Adult Literacy (Department of Education); The Bureau of Justice Statistics Special Report; Bureau of Labor Statistics (Department of Labor); The United Nations; USAID 2012; UNESCO

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