The Association of Educational Publishers
HomeEye on the IndustryAEP Home
Line

In this section

 

AEP Online

Archives
    
Education 
    
Legislation
  
  Technology
  
  Market Trends
    Misc. Topics
About

 

New ETS Report Predicts Significant Drop in Literacy Rate

According to a new report from the Educational Testing Service (ETS), U.S. workers may be significantly less literate in 2030 than today. The report, released yesterday, predicts retiring baby boomers will be replaced by a large wave of less-educated immigrants, resulting in a downward shift in reading and math skills among the U.S. workforce.

"There is no time that I can tell you in the last hundred years" where literacy and numeracy have declined, said Andrew Sum, director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University, in a Christian Science Monitor report. "But if you don't change outcomes for a wide variety of groups, this is the future we face."

The decline in literacy is one of three converging trends that the ETS has labeled a "perfect storm" on the country's horizon. The other two factors are a dramatically changing economy driven by technological innovation and globalization and sweeping demographic changes due to an ever-growing immigrant population.

Authors of the report suggest--among other things--increasing attention on early childhood education, on continuing adult education, and on programs that address the achievement gap.

 

Questions, ideas, or in need of more information? Please contact Stacey Pusey at 302-295-8349.

 

"Coming U.S. challenge: a less literate workforce"
The Christian Science Monitor

 

 

 

AEP

© 2011 The Association of Educational Publishers
300 Martin Luther King Blvd., Ste. 200 • Wilmington, DE 19801
P: 302-295-8350 • F: 302-778-1110 • Email: mail@AEPweb.org
 
Satellite Offices:
Two Bala Plaza, Suite 300 • Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
C/O Knowledge Alliance • 1 St Matthews Court NW • Washington, DC 20036