Why do so many adults still struggle with literacy in the U.S.?
Low adult literacy in the U.S. is not a single issue. It’s a multifaceted, systemic challenge rooted in poverty, education gaps, social barriers, and shifting cultural habits. We can begin turning the tide and empowering adults to read, work, participate, and thrive with strategic investment, public awareness, and community support.
Despite the widespread availability of public education, millions of U.S. adults face challenges with basic reading and writing. Here’s what’s driving this persistent, systemic issue:
1. Poverty and Economic Disadvantage
• Roughly 59 million adults—about 28% of the U.S. population—read at or below the lowest literacy proficiency level.
• Nearly 80% of impoverished individuals read at or below Level 2, highlighting the deep link between economic hardship and literacy struggles.
• Growing up in low-income households means limited access to books, nutritional stability, quiet study environments, and enrichment—factors that directly undercut literacy development.
2. Educational Inequality—From Childhood to Adulthood
• Schools in economically disadvantaged areas often suffer from chronic underfunding, higher teacher turnover, and fewer qualified educators, which creates significant reading disparities.
• Detroit, for example, sees nearly 47% of adults functionally illiterate, with half lacking a high school diploma or GED—a bleak generational cycle.
• Uneven resource distribution and poverty set students behind early, making it increasingly difficult to catch up later.
3. Undiagnosed Learning Disabilities
• Many adults with low literacy have undiagnosed learning disabilities like dyslexia, which sabotage reading skills from a young age. Inadequate investment in early diagnosis and intervention means challenges persist into adulthood, limiting future opportunities.
4. Insufficient Adult Education Infrastructure
• Despite a clear need, fewer than 10% of adults with low literacy skills participate in adult education programs .
• Programs often face funding shortages, long waitlists, limited hours, and barriers such as transportation and childcare.
• In regions like Appalachia, the Southern Black Belt, and California’s Central Valley, many counties lack local adult education, creating literal literacy deserts.
5. Immigrants and Language Barriers
• A significant share—about 34%—of adults with low literacy are foreign-born, even though they comprise just 15% of the population.
• Language barriers, lack of literacy in one’s first language, and long waitlists for English-learning programs add layers of complexity.
6. Social and Environmental Barriers
• Exposure to violence—whether in the community or at school—can disrupt learning, hindering literacy development.
• Moving frequently during childhood can interrupt educational continuity and leave gaps in foundational reading skills.
• Growing up without literate role models—people who read and display enthusiasm for reading—can suppress motivation and limit literacy exposure.
7. Eroding Reading Motivation and Habits
• There has been a significant drop in reading for pleasure: only 14% of 13-year-olds read regularly for fun in 2023, down from 35% in 1984.
• As adults increasingly consume short-form media—social media posts, memes, captions—consistent engagement with complex texts has declined, potentially weakening literacy over time, often undiagnosed, persisting into adult life.
Why It Matters & What Helps
• Adult low literacy exacts a heavy economic cost—ranging in the hundreds of billions to over $2 trillion annually—through reduced productivity, increased healthcare costs, and diminished social mobility.
Addressing these issues demands coordinated public policy:
• Increased funding for K–12 interventions, literacy screenings, and specialized instruction
• Expansion of accessible adult education—including flexible hours, childcare, and transport support
• Targeted support for individuals with learning differences and immigrants
• Efforts to cultivate reading habits across generations through community and parental engagement
Sources
• 49 Adult Literacy Statistics and Facts for 2025: National University
• A Fifth of American Adults Struggle to Read. Why Are We Failing to Teach Them?: ProPublic
• America’s literacy crisis isn’t what you think: This is what happens when kids don’t read for pleasure anymore: Vox
• Causes of Low Adult Literacy in the US: Proliteracy
Literacyworks Center Student News
By Chris Schultz, Center Director
As often reported, the students of the Literacyworks Center are resilient, energetic, and family-oriented. We identify highly motivated, low-income individuals who want to make a difference. We provide financial support, advising, and workshops addressing health services, accessing college services, and career planning. We have just concluded our tenth year serving Santa Rosa Junior College students. The staff are proud of our work, humbled by the relationships that have developed, and the lives we have helped change.
This past spring, six Literacyworks students graduated. A few individuals will transfer to a CSU [primarily Sonoma State]. One student will go on to UC Santa Cruz. Another student will take a position managing a restaurant in Santa Rosa. One wants to become a teacher to help young students envision a better future for themselves and their families.
The following are a few moving stories about our remarkable students:
- Emma’s goal is to become a nurse. She is hard-working, but intimidated by the prospects of science classes. She reports that her challenges are balancing time for school and family. Money, like many of our students, is a significant issue.
- Jose works full-time at a factory at night. He attends classes during the day. He is taking ESL and Auto Technology classes. He is doing very well, receiving all A’s. He aims to get a Certificate in Auto and a job in a shop. His long-term goal is to open his auto shop. He said, ‘I’m just a lucky guy. My life is good.’ He is very appreciative of the support Literacyworks can provide.
- Tania started in ESL and has progressed to credit classes. She took Anatomy and History in the Spring. She said they were hard, but she is doing well. Tania works while attending classes. She wants to get into the Radiology program at the JC, but told me it is very competitive. Good luck to Tania.
- Maria has taken English classes and, in the spring, two business classes. She wants to open her own catering business to support her family. Her optimism and sense of adventure give me confidence that she will be successful.
- Adriana was a Puente student when we met her. The Puente Program is designed to help students coming out of high school who are not fully prepared for college. She is making significant progress in Math, Business, and History. She will graduate next spring with an Associate’s Degree in Accounting. When asked about her challenges, she said, ‘finding a job that does not conflict with school.’ She also mentioned, 'I miss her friends from high school who didn’t come to college. College is fun. I want them to join me.’
And lastly, throughout the one-to-one interviews with Literacyworks students this past spring semester, two pervasive themes ran through our discussions. First, family is the most important thing in their lives. Secondly, the fear of deportation is a real possibility for some of our students and their family members, even though they are here, going through the process of becoming citizens.
These are some of the most remarkable people I’ve met, making a difference in their lives and our community.
SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS!
Our low-income students are among the most vulnerable in our community when it comes to suffering during a disaster. Because of the COVID-19 epidemic, many of our students are still suffering a loss of income and housing.
Our staff is offering additional support services to ensure our students stay in school and complete their course of study. We are proud that most have persisted and remained.
Thank you for supporting our students with your donation during this difficult time. You are making a difference in their lives with your gift.
