Making Skills Everyone’s Business: A Call to Transform Adult Learning in the United States

A study from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found that 24 million Americans in the workforce have low literacy skills, and nearly 46 million Americans struggle with numeracy. This skills deficit negatively impacts not only the individuals, but their families and communities, as well. Conversely, data suggests that higher skills are linked to improved economic and social outcomes, including better employment, earnings, health, social mobility, and civic engagement. This report from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education offers seven strategies that have the potential to improve conditions that perpetuate poor literacy and numeracy skills. These strategies are based on the principle that America’s skills challenge is too large to be addressed by any one stakeholder, and that a solution must come from a group effort.