On Friday, October 21st, Sandeep Gill, Executive Director of Literacy Action Inc., and Joy Hawkins, Executive Director of the Governor’s Office of Student Achievement, joined MAX to discuss the state of literacy in Georgia among adults and children and the important work underway to take a two-gen approach in helping Georgians.
Low literacy is a multigenerational issue; without intervention, Georgia’s workforce and economy will be negatively affected. Childhood and adulthood literacy is critical for our neighbors to access employment and economic self-sufficiency. How are Georgians faring with respect to literacy levels? Gill and Hawkins citied the following data from government sources and Deloitte.
- 1 in 6 adults in Georgia have low literacy skills.
- Approximately 1.4 million (13%) adults in Georgia, age 25 and up, do not have a high school degree. 13% of adults in Georgia also live below the poverty line. The intergenerational cycle of poverty and low-literacy is devastating.
- 36% of 3rd graders, 44% of 4th graders, 30% of 5th graders, 45% of 6th graders, 33% of 7th graders, and 30% of 8th graders read below grade level, according to the Spring 2022 Milestones End of Grade Assessments.
- Digital literacy is an increasingly important skill but19% of GA homes have no broadband subscription and 10% have no computer according to the most recent census.
- Low literate adults earn $10K per year less than adults with a high school diploma.
- The adult literacy rate in Georgia actually decreased 2% from 2002 to 2017.
- $1.26 billion in estimated costs relating to low literacy in social services, penal costs and healthcare.
MAX Board Past Chair Amy Lancaster-King, Executive Director of WorkSource Atlanta, moderated the session.
Session Information
Click here for the presentation slides.
Click here for the recording.
More Information
Click here for a fact sheet on Georgia from the Coalition on Adult Basic Education and Educate & Elevate Adult Education.
Click here for a snapshot on adult literacy and numeracy from the Institute of Education Sciences.
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