As we celebrate National Literacy Month, it’s important to understand the far-reaching impacts of this issue on our communities and how we can help. Literacy is the foundation on which every aspect of an individual’s life is built, from being able to grow one’s imagination as a child to being able to secure good employment and become an independent adult.
According to research by the Oklahoma Department of Libraries Literacy Resource Office, there are approximately 48 million U.S. adults who cannot read above a third grade level. Simply getting those individuals up to just a sixth grade reading level would provide an annual national economic boost of $2.2 trillion. You can only imagine how important it is to address this issue in our state given that around 20% of Oklahomans, approximately 560,000 people, have a 6th grade reading level or less.
There are three main areas affected by low literacy, including future earning potential, health, and criminal involvement. It should also be noted that studies have found that students with low reading skills are more likely to drop out of school or have significantly less education than their peers. I mention this because many studies focus on either education or literacy, but the two go hand in hand.
People who don’t have sufficient reading skills struggle to find and keep good employment. While someone may have a useful skill they learned growing up like construction or plumbing, if they aren’t able to read or fill out an application or necessary work forms, it’ll be difficult to get hired. Even when they do find work, research shows that workers without a GED or high school diploma make up to three times less than those with the highest levels of education and literacy. They have the lowest average median weekly earnings at less than $600, equaling just under $29,000 a year. Struggling financially then can lead to other problems, such as depression, family violence, and addiction.
There’s also a strong correlation between low literacy and poor health outcomes. When individuals can’t read, they’re more likely to avoid getting preventative checkups, which leads to conditions and diseases getting out of control or becoming untreatable. This is extremely dangerous and can even be deadly for these individuals when most likely they could have been treated had medical care been sought earlier. Nationally, it’s estimated that between $106-$238 billion in annual national health care costs are linked to low adult literacy skills.
Finally, research shows that those with low literacy are more likely to have run-ins with the law. In fact, 75% of Oklahoma prisoners did not complete high school or can be classified as low literate.
On the flipside, incarcerated individuals who participate in correction educational programs are 43% less likely to recidivate than inmates who do not.
Literacy is a tool that all Oklahomans need to be successful in life and it all begins at home and in our classrooms. If you’re a parent of young children, I hope you’ll set aside time regularly to read with them. There is no greater gift you can give your child than to instill in them a love of reading and help nourish that skill throughout their school years. We must also join together and support existing programs or find ways to help those in our communities needing to expand their reading skills so they can also reach their full potential in life.
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this important issue. Please email me at [email protected] or call 405-521-5522.
