Posted by
arandomguy on Monday, March 19, 2007 8:07:04 PM
According to a recent study, 1/3 of the people in Washington DC are functionally illiterate. Here is the AP report.
WASHINGTON (AP) - About one-third of the
people living in the national's capital are functionally illiterate, compared
with about one-fifth nationally, according to a report on the District of
Columbia.
Adults are considered functionally illiterate if they have trouble doing such
things as comprehending bus schedules, reading maps and filling out job
applications.
The study by the State Education Agency, a quasi-governmental office created
by the U.S. Department of Education to distribute federal funds for literacy
services, was ordered by Mayor Anthony A. Williams in 2003 as part of his
four-year, $4 million adult literacy initiative.
The growing number of Hispanic and Ethiopian immigrants who aren't proficient
in English contributed to the city's high functional illiteracy level, which
translated to 170,000 people, said Connie Spinner, director of the State
Education Agency. The report says the district's functional illiteracy rate is
36 percent and the nation's 21 percent.
Adults age 65 and older had the lowest literacy score of any group, the
report found.
The District of Columbia Chamber of Commerce, which contributed to the
report, said the city lost up to $107 million in taxes annually between 2000 and
2005 because of a lack of qualified job applicants.
Interesting... very interesting.
"Adults 65 & Older."... I'm willing to bet most of the work here...