Perryman: Literal Lifetime Literacy Liability

It is impossible to overstate the importance of literacy from a personal, professional, economic, or societal perspective. Texas has quite a bit of work to do!

The National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) is a test given to students in grades four and eight. It provides a snapshot of how things are going by state, with comparisons to both other areas and past performance. The Texas data provides insights into reading levels. In fourth grade, reading scores are only slightly below the national average. However, in eighth grade, scores are far below peer states. In fact, they are significantly lower than they were in 1998. 

There are encouraging statistics related to Texas student performance in some areas. The state’s young people score significantly higher than most places in Grade 4 math and Grade 8 science, for example. However, the reading challenges are a persistent problem. 

A major difficulty for Texas schools is the substantial percentage of students identified as English learners – more than 24% in both Grade 4 and Grade 8. The test is given only in English; thus, it is not surprising that it is difficult to compare well relative to states with smaller populations of students facing that additional challenge. Nonetheless, it is certainly worth identifying and investing the resources necessary to ensure that students receive the reading skills they need, as it is an enduring skill that has profound consequences in many areas. 

The Department of Education also measures patterns in adult literacy around the country. Texas ranks near the bottom among the states, with more than 28% of individuals having “Level 1” literacy or less (essentially meaning being able to read sufficiently to perform simple tasks (at best)). Only about 40% of Texans have achieved “Level 3” literacy, meaning they are considered proficient in working with information and ideas in text (approximately 8^th grade level ability). Note that these tests are also conducted in English, thus contributing to the low scores in the state. 

In addition to having profound effects on quality of life and even basic sustainability, insufficient literacy also affects job opportunities, social mobility, and lifetime earnings. Many of the fastest growing (and highest paid) occupations in the US at present require Level 3 reading proficiency, and it is very difficult to perform most jobs without being at least at Level 1. 

Enhancing reading skills can be extremely helpful to financial stability from an individual perspective. At the same time, a well-prepared workforce is essential to ongoing economic growth and prosperity. In addition to the critical tasks of adequately funding public schools, career training, and universities, supporting adult literacy and language programs can be enormously beneficial. In fact, our future depends on it. Stay safe!

Editor’s Note: The above guest column was penned by Dr. M. Ray Perryman, president and chief executive officer of The Perryman Group (www.perrymangroup.com). The Perryman Group has served the needs of over 3,000 clients over the past four decades. The above column appears in The Rio Grande Guardian International News Service with the permission of the author. Perryman can be reached by email via: shelia@perrymangroup.com.

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