A person in need of literacy services is defined as one who is 16 years of age or older, not in school, and without a high school or GED diploma. In its 1991 National Literacy Act, Congress defined literacy as: “An individual’s ability to read, write, and speak in English, and compute and solve problems at levels of proficiency necessary to function on the job and in society, to achieve one’s goals, and develop one’s knowledge and potential.” 

A lack of literacy skills is interconnected with unemployment, poverty, welfare, crime, ill health, inadequate housing, and substance abuse.

Most jobs now require a minimum of a high school education or its equivalency, and the trend is to go beyond this level.

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