Why do I need to care about it?

Definition

Literacy refers to a person’s ability to both understand and create messages in a variety of contexts and situations. This includes reading and writing. Also includes understanding paycheck stubs, tax forms, contracts, & other legal documents. Also includes understanding media messages, the news, political speeches, etc.

Why is it important?

Your level of literacy can determine your life chances: Where you can go to college (if you

decide to go) What kinds of jobs you can get How much money you can make What level of social status you can hope

for

Example 1

Here’s a slam poem on the subject:

Example 2

Here’s a real life clip on the subject:

So why is it important to me? Getting a good job now depends a lot on your

level of literacy. More and more jobs, for example, are requiring

computer literacy (ability to use computers). 99 % of new jobs require some degree of reading*

The United States used to have many factory jobs that did not require a person to be literate. We’re losing those jobs; Many are being shipped

overseas—called outsourcing.▪ The Cato Institute estimates that 2 million jobs were

outsourced from 1983 to 2004; how many more have been lost in the seven years since then, nobody can say for sure.

*Many statistics taken from a presentation authored by Ira S. Wolfe in 2007

The Problem 1

America used to be a “superpower” with regard to workers. This is no longer true.

More than a dozen countries have a higher high school graduation rate than the US —including China, India, Norway, Germany, Japan, Canada, and Cuba. India has more “honors students” than America has

children and teens combined. Employers want the best employees, but

complain they have a hard time finding them in the USA. Many high level American jobs go to non-Americans

—including government and military jobs.

The Problem 2

25% of American companies say they have or soon will stop hiring people without a high school diploma or GED.

America’s high-school drop out rate is around 34%

11 million adults in America are illiterate Only 13% of American adults can read at

a “proficient” level Only 32% of high school graduates are

ready for college and 52% are not ready for the work world

The Problem 3

82% of high school freshmen do not earn a college degree

Employers consistently say the biggest weaknesses of young workers are reading, writing, math, and computer skills even though these are also among the most important skills in today’s work world. Team work/collaboration skills and

professionalism/work ethic are also weak.

What does this all mean?

Literacy requirements for good jobs are going up

But literacy abilities among American high school graduates are going down

What does this all mean? 2 Economic fact 1: A good, well-trained

workforce usually leads to a strong economy and higher pay for people.

Economic fact 2: A weak, poorly-trained workforce always leads to higher prices, less pay, and more unemployment.

Economic fact 3: Employers will higher who they think will be the best workers, no matter what nationality they are.

What does this mean for

me? If you apply yourself to becoming

even more literate, you can have an advantage in the job market. Countries and companies want to hire

good people and will pay to get them. The better the job you can get, the

better you can support your family and community. This also includes racial communities.

Is there any proof of this crap?

Figures from a 2010 Bureau of Labor Statistics study

Unemployment is now between 9.2 and 9.5%

Is there any proof of this crap? 2

Annual salary comparison: No HS diploma: $444 per week x 4 weeks = ?

HS diploma: $626 per week x 4 weeks = ?

Some college: $712 per week x 4 weeks = ?

Bachelor’s degree: $1,038 per week x 4 weeks = ?

Professional degree*: $1,610 per week x 4 weeks = ?

How far does my money go? Average rent in the USA = $824 / month1

Average house payment = $1,514 / month1

Average grocery bill = $183.92 / month2

Average restaurant costs = $71.67 / month2

Estimated utility costs = $119.77 / month3

Estimated cell phone bill = $100 / month4

Average car expenses = $456.41 / month5

Average entertainment expenses = $210 / month6

Estimated health care cost = $100 / month7

Will you have enough education/literacy to get a job that can support your lifestyle? That comes down to your choices.

Notes for How far does my money go?

All expenses based on recent national data. 1 http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/construction_housing/homeownership_and_housing_costs.html

2 http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib23/eib23b.pdf

3 http://www.consumerspower.org/home_energy/billestimator.php (I based this estimate on a small 3-room housing unit with

minimal appliances.)

4 http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/money/shopping/ways-to-save-on/cell-phone-bills/overview/cell-phone-bills.htm

(Average of high and low annual payments divided by 12)

5 http://green.autoblog.com/2010/06/28/poll-average-american-auto-expenses-5-477-thats-more-than-f/

6 http://www.fool.com/personal-finance/retirement/2006/03/28/does-your-fun-cost-too-much.aspx (Estimation based on cable

[$60], movies x 2 [$30], “night out” expenses [$50], video games/music [$50], and miscelaneous [$20])

7 Finding an accurate measure for this is extremely difficult. I based this on an assumption of one

perscription ($20), two office co-pay payments ($40), and an additional $40 for over-the-counter medicines or insurance payments. If you have medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, high blood pressure, etc. or you don’t have health care through work, your costs will be much higher per month.

What does this mean for

me? 2 What conclusions can we draw from

all of this data?

Final thought: “Human progress is neither automatic nor inevitable. Even a superficial look at history reveals that no social advance roll in on the wheels of inevitablilty…This is no time for apathy or complacency. This is a time for vigorous and positive action.”

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.