Adult Literacy and Economic Development (It’s All Connected)

Adult Literacy and Economic Development (It’s All Connected)

Income inequality has long been a political and economic hot topic in the United States. As of 2021, the richest 10% of Americans owned almost 70% of the wealth in the country, while the poorest 50% owned around 2.5%—a staggering gap that has widened substantially in the last several decades. In 2020, 11.4% of the country’s population (or 37.2 million individuals) lived in poverty. 

 

The expansion of the wealth gap has been exacerbated in part by events such as the Great Recession and COVID-19 pandemic. What’s more, rising inflation rates may continue to deepen existing income inequality, as costs of necessities (such as rent, groceries, and transportation) typically increase faster than wages can keep up. 

 

The factors and circumstances that contribute to income inequality and poverty are complex, and to reduce either of those phenomena to a single cause would be a gross oversimplification. Here, we’ll focus on just one of them: education. More specifically, we’ll explore the connection between adult literacy and economic development, and how alternative education and adult literacy programs can help empower individuals to make a change in their economic status. 

What Is The Relationship Between Education and Income?

There’s an old saying that knowledge is power, and when it comes to economic potential, the adage holds true. In the United States, the latter half of the twentieth century was marked by the shift from a labor economy to a knowledge economy—that is, an economy that is primarily dependent on workers’ skilled labor and intellectual abilities, rather than on physical production. Over time, our work ecosystems have become more and more reliant on technology and specialized knowledge. As a result, higher-paying jobs now require a higher level of education than they did previously. 

 

According to an analysis of wealth inequality in the US published by the Council on Foreign Relations, families in which the head of household had a bachelor’s degree earned twice as much as families in which the head of household had no degree. For heads of household with a postgraduate degree, earnings were even higher. 

 

In addition to the positive correlation between education and income, data has also shown that unemployment rates are lower among individuals with higher levels of education. 

The State of Adult Literacy Today

According to the international Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD), literacy is defined as “the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate and compute, using printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning in enabling individuals to achieve their goals, to develop their knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in their community and wider society.” 

 

Put simply, literacy isn’t just the ability to read; it also means being able to interact fully with written and printed materials in such a way that individuals are able to work and interact with necessary resources. Adult literacy skills are assessed on a scale, from Below Level 1 to Level 5. At Level 1, the second-lowest on the scale, adults are expected to read short texts on familiar topics, locate limited amounts of information, and have a basic grasp of sentence meaning and vocabulary. 

 

In spite of what you might expect, the US’s adult literacy scores are average at best. Out of the 33 OECD nations counted in one study, the US ranked 16th. Around 130 million adults in the US have low literacy skills, with 19% of US adults (nearly one in five individuals) performing at or below the lowest level of literacy (Level 1) on the OECD’s scale. In Georgia, that percentage is even higher: 24% of the population has a literacy proficiency at or below Level 1. 

 

There are a variety of factors that contribute to low literacy in the United States, including undiagnosed learning disabilities; hearing or vision problems; speaking English as a second language; poverty, frequent moves, or other factors that prevent individuals from focusing on their education; or being forced to leave school in order to work or care for a family member. 

 

For individuals in this position, it’s hard to understate the consequences of low literacy on their professional lives and economic status. They are more likely to experience unemployment, and those who are employed are more likely to have lower-quality, lower-paying jobs. Individuals with low literacy are also more likely to experience workplace accidents, have longer recovery periods, and potentially suffer other negative health outcomes as a result of not being able to read or understand medical instructions (including prescriptions) or utilize health care resources. 

Alternative Education Programs Can Drive Economic Growth

It’s not hard to imagine how people with low literacy might feel helpless, trapped in a cycle of educational disadvantage and poverty. Although additional education might improve their employment prospects, access to education often necessitates time and money—both of which are likely to be in short supply for individuals who are working low-paying jobs without good benefits. 

It’s for that reason that adult literacy programs and alternative diploma programs like the Tiers Free Academy are so important. These sorts of programs offer people with disrupted educational histories the chance to improve their literacy proficiency on a flexible schedule. What’s more, Tiers Free Academy allows students to pick up where they left off in their studies rather than having to start over—a feature that could save many students valuable time. 

Tiers Free Academy offers non-traditional students a second chance at education and, by extension, economic mobility. The Dr. Annise Mabry Foundation is dedicated to improving our community by enhancing education opportunities, promoting synchrony between law enforcement and constituents, and encouraging community engagement. Our programs and initiatives include the Southwest GA Community Policing Resource Center and the Tiers Free Academy, a homeschool cooperative for students in grades 9-12 that provides an alternative diploma program for homeless LGBTQ youth, sex trafficking survivors, and high school dropouts. To learn more about our offerings or support our work, consider subscribing to our newsletter or donating today!