Literacy Research:
Washtenaw County Statistics:
Literacy Skills Acquisition:- Over 12% of adults, 27,000 individuals, lack basic literacy skills.
- High school non-completion rates:
• Washtenaw County overall: 12%
• The fourth-best school district: 18%
• Rates higher in certain geographical regions of the county.
- 60% of Washtenaw Literacy basic literacy learners have a high school diploma.
- 50% of children with illiterate parents grow up to be illiterate themselves.
- 20% of
6-year-old children in the county are not ready for school. (Note: If
a child has not learned to read by third grade, when schools stop
teaching children “how to read”, that child has a dramatically reduced
chance of gaining literacy skills through schooling alone.)
Health Literacy:
- Approximately 104,000 adults in Washtenaw County impacted.
- 52% of patients with inadequate literacy are more likely to be hospitalized (JAMA, 1995).
- Up to $73
billion in excess health care costs occur annually in the U.S. due to
low literacy (National Academy on an Aging Society, 1999).
Workplace / Computer Literacy(source: Washtenaw Literacy & MDHS):
- Limited English proficiency in Washtenaw County workforce in 2000: 4,803.
- 34% of job applicants lacked the basic skills necessary to perform the jobs they sought in 2000.
- 47% of the people on welfare assistance have illiteracy as a major barrier to employment.
Financial Literacy:
- Michigan ranks in the top 5 in bankruptcy filings.
- Mortgage foreclosures in Washtenaw County have quadrupled in the last year.
- Nationally, consumer credit set a new record of $879 billion in January, 2007.
- Studies show a high correlation between literacy challenges and financial struggles.
The
local statistics are consistent with national data which reflects the intergenerational aspect of illiteracy and the role of literacy as a
root cause contributor to individual life success and to the overall
vibrancy of the entire community.
Literacy Best Practice Research Summary:
For a summary of the findings, please click the link below:
