More than half of American adults read below a sixth-grade level – KJCT

Report on the Adult Literacy Crisis in the United States and its Impact on Sustainable Development Goals

1.0 Executive Summary

A significant portion of the adult population in the United States, exceeding 50%, possesses literacy skills below a sixth-grade level. This “silent crisis” presents a substantial barrier to achieving several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The issue has profound implications for economic growth, public health, social equity, and the strength of democratic institutions. This report analyzes the crisis through the lens of the SDGs, outlining its economic and social costs, systemic challenges, and proven solutions.

2.0 Impact on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The low adult literacy rate directly undermines progress toward multiple SDGs, creating interconnected challenges that affect national well-being.

2.1 SDG 4: Quality Education

The crisis represents a failure to meet the objectives of SDG 4, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

• Target 4.6 (Adult Literacy): The finding that over half of American adults lack basic literacy skills is in direct opposition to the goal of ensuring a substantial proportion of adults achieve literacy and numeracy.
• Intergenerational Impact: The cycle of low literacy perpetuates educational inequality. Children in households with low-literate adults have a 72% chance of experiencing low literacy themselves, hindering future educational attainment.

2.2 SDG 1 (No Poverty) & SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth)

Literacy is a fundamental prerequisite for economic stability and growth. The current crisis severely impacts both individual prosperity and national economic output.

1. Economic Exclusion: Adults with low literacy skills struggle to secure stable, well-paying employment, which directly contributes to poverty and reliance on government assistance, impeding progress on SDG 1.
2. National Economic Loss: Studies indicate that achieving a universal sixth-grade reading level among adults could increase the U.S. gross domestic product by over $2 trillion annually, highlighting the connection between literacy and SDG 8.

2.3 SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

The inability to understand basic written information has critical consequences for public health outcomes.

• Healthcare Costs: ProLiteracy estimates that low adult literacy contributes to as much as $238 billion in healthcare costs annually.
• Patient Understanding: Individuals often misunderstand treatment regimens and preventive care information, leading to poorer health outcomes and increased strain on the healthcare system, which conflicts with the aims of SDG 3.

2.4 SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) & SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions)

Literacy is essential for social and civic inclusion. The current deficit fosters inequality and weakens democratic participation.

• Systemic Inequality: The link between poverty and literacy creates a multi-generational cycle that deepens social and economic inequalities, contrary to the goals of SDG 10.
• Civic Disenfranchisement: A 2022 study found that 74% of election ballots were written at a level inaccessible to the 39% of adults with a high school education or less, creating significant barriers to voting and undermining the inclusive institutions promoted by SDG 16.

3.0 Systemic Challenges and Funding

Addressing the literacy crisis is hampered by insufficient resources and a lack of public awareness.

• Funding Shortfall: According to the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, current federal funding for adult literacy programs is only sufficient to reach approximately 10% of the population in need.
• Overwhelming Demand: Local programs demonstrate the scale of the issue. Literacy KC, a major facility in Kansas City, serves 2,000 adults annually but maintains a constant waiting list of hundreds, indicating that demand far outstrips capacity.

4.0 Solutions and a Path Forward

Despite the challenges, the problem is solvable through targeted, well-funded initiatives and strategic partnerships.

4.1 Effective Program Models

Local organizations have proven that targeted intervention yields significant results in line with SDG objectives.

• Literacy KC: This program utilizes teacher-led instruction and student-centered approaches. Data shows its graduates achieve greater stability, secure jobs paying above $17 an hour, and pursue postsecondary education, directly contributing to SDG 1 and SDG 8.
• Individual Success: Personal stories, such as that of Bernadette Graves who advanced from a kindergarten to a fifth-grade reading level, demonstrate the transformative power of adult education.

4.2 Corporate and Public Sector Roles

A multi-sector approach is necessary to scale solutions effectively.

1. Workforce Integration: Companies like Tyson Foods have integrated literacy courses into employee training. This strategy not only improves the workforce but also helps break the intergenerational cycle by enabling parents to support their children’s education (SDG 4).
2. Increased Awareness and Investment: A sustained focus on raising public awareness and securing adequate funding is critical to expanding successful programs to meet the national need.

Analysis of the Article in Relation to Sustainable Development Goals

1. SDGs Addressed or Connected to the Issues

The article on adult literacy in the United States touches upon several interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The core issue of low literacy is directly related to education, but its consequences extend to economic stability, health, and societal equality.

• SDG 4: Quality Education: This is the most central SDG, as the article’s main topic is the “silent crisis” of low adult literacy. It discusses the failure of the education system to ensure basic reading skills for all and highlights the need for adult literacy programs.
• SDG 1: No Poverty: The article explicitly links literacy to poverty, stating, “poverty and literacy rates are connected, creating a multi-generational problem.” It notes that individuals with low literacy struggle to earn a “livable wage” and may depend on “government aid.”
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The economic impact of low literacy is a major theme. The article states that people “struggle to find good-paying jobs or sometimes any job at all” and that improving literacy to a sixth-grade level could add over “$2 trillion a year” to the U.S. GDP.
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: A direct connection is made between literacy and health outcomes. The article cites that “$238 billion in health care costs are linked to low adult literacy skills” because individuals may “misunderstand treatment regimens and preventive care.”
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The issue creates a significant inequality within the population. The “generational cycle of illiteracy,” where children in low-literacy households have a “72% chance of growing up with low literacy themselves,” perpetuates and deepens social and economic disparities.
• SDG 16: Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions: The article touches on this goal by discussing the impact of low literacy on civic participation. It highlights that adults with low literacy “face significant disadvantages when voting” and that complex ballot language can affect “voter turnout,” undermining inclusive and participatory decision-making.

2. Specific Targets Under Those SDGs

Based on the article’s content, several specific SDG targets can be identified as directly relevant to the problems and solutions discussed.

1. Target 4.6 (under SDG 4): “By 2030, ensure that all youth and a substantial proportion of adults, both men and women, achieve literacy and numeracy.” The entire article is focused on this target, highlighting that over 50% of American adults have not achieved a basic level of literacy and discussing programs like Literacy KC aimed at addressing this gap.
2. Target 8.5 (under SDG 8): “By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all…” The article supports this by explaining that low literacy is a barrier to finding “good-paying jobs.” Conversely, it notes that graduates of literacy programs find “jobs that pay above $17 an hour,” demonstrating a direct link between improving literacy and achieving decent work.
3. Target 1.2 (under SDG 1): “By 2030, reduce at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty…” The article implies that improving adult literacy is a key strategy for poverty reduction, as it enables individuals to secure better employment and break the “multi-generational problem” where low literacy and poverty are linked.
4. Target 10.2 (under SDG 10): “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all…” The article demonstrates how low literacy leads to economic exclusion (inability to find good jobs) and political exclusion (disadvantages in voting). Programs that improve literacy directly contribute to empowering individuals for greater inclusion.
5. Target 16.7 (under SDG 16): “Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.” The article’s section on voting directly relates to this target by showing how ballot complexity (“74% of ballots were written well above the high school level”) creates a barrier to participation for a significant portion of the adult population, making the decision-making process less inclusive.

3. Indicators Mentioned or Implied

The article provides several statistics and data points that can serve as or align with official SDG indicators for measuring progress.

• Indicator for Target 4.6: The article provides a direct measure related to Indicator 4.6.1 (Proportion of population achieving at least a fixed level of proficiency in functional literacy). The key statistic is that “More than 50% of American adults read below the equivalent of a sixth-grade reading level.” This percentage is a clear indicator of the scale of the problem.
• Indicator for Target 8.5: While not a formal SDG indicator, the article provides a proxy for economic improvement related to decent work. The fact that graduates of the Literacy KC program “work in jobs that pay above $17 an hour” serves as a measurable outcome of the intervention, reflecting progress towards better wages and employment.
• Indicator for SDG 3: The article mentions a specific financial indicator of the health impact: “$238 billion in health care costs are linked to low adult literacy skills.” This figure can be used to measure the economic burden of low health literacy and track reductions as literacy rates improve.
• Indicator for SDG 1: The article implies an indicator for poverty by mentioning that those with low literacy may “rely on government aid to make ends meet.” A reduction in the number of program participants requiring government assistance could be a measurable indicator of poverty reduction.
• Indicator for Target 16.7: An implied indicator for inclusive participation is the mismatch between voter literacy and ballot complexity. The finding that “74% of ballots were written well above the high school level” while “39% of adults had completed high school or less” serves as a quantifiable measure of the institutional barrier to voting.

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: kjct8.com