READING THE NUMBERS: 130 MILLION AMERICAN ADULTS HAVE LOW LITERACY SKILLS, BUT FUNDING DIFFERS DRASTICALLY BY STATE
by EMILY SCHMIDT
MARY MCCOOL: "OH, MY GOLLY. THIS IS AMERICA?"
CONSIDER THE FOLLOWING QUOTES FROM SCHMIDT'S ARTICLE:
“They likely went to schools that weren't supported by a wealthy tax base,” Feinberg said. “And so, they don't have good internet access. They may not know how to use the internet if [they] can't spell very well. You're [going to] have a really hard time finding things.”
MARY MCCOOL:
"THIS IS THE REALITY... Children today attend schools in America with less money, resources, and teacher training because of THEIR ZIP CODE."
"For example, a recent Gallup study for the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy concluded that low adult literacy is costing the U.S. $2.2 trillion annually. By getting every adult to a Level 3 proficiency, this economic loss could be transformed into economic gain.
Feinberg said this “crisis” of low adult literacy is not a crisis at all. Instead, it is an intergenerational cycle that “affects society in every possible way.”
“I think that really is the key point,” she said. “How do we break this intergenerational cycle of low literacy, which leads to poverty?”
MARY MCCOOL:
BUSINESS LEADERS- Low literacy costs the U.S. economy $2.2 trillion annually!
MARY MCCOOL
EDUCATORS- SPELLING IS AN ESSENTIAL SUBJECT IN SCHOOL TODAY.
WHY?
They may not know how to use the internet if [they] can't spell very well. You're [going to] have a really hard time finding things.”
MARY MCCOOL:
I am a reading and dyslexia specialist and consultant.
THE BIG REVEAL- LOW LITERACY IS PREVENTABLE.
Schools do not need to spend millions of dollars.
BUT, SCHOOLS AND STATES MUST BE USING WHAT WORKS.