Why 36 Million American Adults Can’t Read Enough To Work — And How To Help Them via PBS

Why 36 Million American Adults Can’t Read Enough To Work — And How To Help Them

PBS: 6.11.2019 by Kavitha Cardoza

In the U.S., 36 million adults lack the basic literacy skills needed to sustain employment -- yet education programs for this group serve only about 1.5 million, and funding continues to be cut at state and federal levels. Meanwhile, stigma can keep adults from reconnecting with the classroom. Kavitha Cardoza reports from Maine, whose governor has pledged to increase funding for adult education.  Read the Full Transcript

•       Judy Woodruff:

Adults often go back to school to get a better-paying job. But one important and often overlooked segment of the population are those who struggle to read or do basic math. They can't read a street sign, a pay stub or a menu.

Every year, thousands of these individuals overcome shame and fear and go back to school. But inadequate funding and long waiting lists have made their struggles even harder.

Maine is one of the few states where the governor has proposed increasing funding for adult education.

Special correspondent Kavitha Cardoza of our partner Education Week reports on those efforts.

It's part of our regular segment, Making the Grade.  WATCH 08:05

Literacy Reports & Statistics

Workplace

2019: Global Skills Index, Coursera

2018: A Stronger Nation: Learning beyond high school builds American talent, Lumina

2017: UpSkilling Playbook for Employers, Aspen Institute

2015: Skills Gap Report, NAM-MI

2008: Reach Higher America: Overcoming Crisis in the U.S. Workforce, NCAL

2007: America’s Perfect Storm, ETS

2007: Can California Import Enough College Grad's. Meet Workforce Needs?, PPIC

2007: Mounting Pressures: Workforce . . . Adult Ed, NCAL