Amigo Cabal
2004-09-10 03:54:38 UTC
...COMPARE THIS TO 97% LITERACY IN IRAQ!
Illiteracy shockingly high in L.A.
Half of workers unable to read
By Rachel Uranga
Staff Writer
Continued immigration and a stubborn high school dropout rate have stymied
efforts to improve literacy in Los Angeles County, where more than half the
working-age population can't read a simple form, a report released Wednesday
found.
Alarmingly, only one in every 10 workers deemed functionally illiterate is
enrolled in literacy classes and half of them drop out within three weeks,
said the study by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
"It's an emergency situation," said Mayor James Hahn, adding that poor
literacy rates could jeopardize the region's economy by driving out
high-tech businesses and other industries that pay well.
In the Los Angeles region, 53 percent of workers ages 16 and older were
deemed functionally illiterate, the study said.
That percentage dropped to 44 percent in the greater San Fernando Valley --
which includes Agoura Hills and Santa Clarita -- but soared to 85 percent in
some pockets of the Valley.
The study measured levels of literacy across the region using data from the
2000 Census, the U.S. Department of Education and a survey of literacy
programs taken from last September to January.
It classified 3.8 million Los Angeles County residents as "low-literate,"
meaning they could not write a note explaining a billing error, use a bus
schedule or locate an intersection on a street map.
And despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent in public schools over the
past decade to boost literacy rates, functional illiteracy levels have
remained flat because of a steady influx of non-English-speaking immigrants
and a 30 percent high school dropout rate, authors of the report said.
The last available national study was conducted in 1992 by the National
Adult Literacy Survey, which found that 48 percent of the nation's
working-age population was functionally illiterate.
"This is a ticking time bomb, a dirty secret we don't want to talk about. We
are losing the battle," said Mark Drummond, chancellor of California's
community college system.
Dozens of community-based groups, including the Literacy Network of Greater
Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District and other public
agencies vowed to improve programs over the next five years by connecting
English learners with employers and educating 1,000 workers with
English-language deficiencies during the next two years.
A top priority should be making classes more accessible. For example, the
report found that no school in the county offered Saturday classes or
tailored classes for adult students with families or multiple jobs.
And while nearly 90 percent of adults take literacy classes to improve their
employment opportunities, only 30 percent of literacy programs include the
workplace in their instruction.
"It's appalling," said Marge Nichols, the author of the study. "A 50 percent
dropout rate (for literacy classes) is pretty dysfunctional. We haven't kept
up."
Though the report offers no estimate for the cost of functional illiteracy,
the National Right to Read Foundation places the price tag nationally at
$224 billion. And local observers say untold millions are being lost by
would-be employers who move to other cities in search of highly skilled
workers.
Before he enrolled in a literacy class at the North Valley Occupational
Center, Adolio Gonzales, 29, was intimidated by filling out job applications
or even going to an amusement park.
"I didn't want to go to Disneyland because I thought it was so complicated,"
said the Reseda resident, who waits tables at a Carrows restaurant and wants
to become a computer programmer.
Gonzales emigrated from Guatemala seven years ago and taught himself to
speak English by watching television programs.
But he often found himself confused by the simplest task, and had trouble
filling out an application at a fast-food restaurant two years ago.
"The application asked why I wanted to work for this company and I didn't
know what to answer," he said.
Then, he enrolled in the literacy class, which emphasizes the basics, like
filling out forms and reading the newspaper.
"I feel comfortable now, like I can do anything."
Rachel Uranga, (818) 713-3741 ***@dailynews.com
Illiteracy shockingly high in L.A.
Half of workers unable to read
By Rachel Uranga
Staff Writer
Continued immigration and a stubborn high school dropout rate have stymied
efforts to improve literacy in Los Angeles County, where more than half the
working-age population can't read a simple form, a report released Wednesday
found.
Alarmingly, only one in every 10 workers deemed functionally illiterate is
enrolled in literacy classes and half of them drop out within three weeks,
said the study by the United Way of Greater Los Angeles.
"It's an emergency situation," said Mayor James Hahn, adding that poor
literacy rates could jeopardize the region's economy by driving out
high-tech businesses and other industries that pay well.
In the Los Angeles region, 53 percent of workers ages 16 and older were
deemed functionally illiterate, the study said.
That percentage dropped to 44 percent in the greater San Fernando Valley --
which includes Agoura Hills and Santa Clarita -- but soared to 85 percent in
some pockets of the Valley.
The study measured levels of literacy across the region using data from the
2000 Census, the U.S. Department of Education and a survey of literacy
programs taken from last September to January.
It classified 3.8 million Los Angeles County residents as "low-literate,"
meaning they could not write a note explaining a billing error, use a bus
schedule or locate an intersection on a street map.
And despite hundreds of millions of dollars spent in public schools over the
past decade to boost literacy rates, functional illiteracy levels have
remained flat because of a steady influx of non-English-speaking immigrants
and a 30 percent high school dropout rate, authors of the report said.
The last available national study was conducted in 1992 by the National
Adult Literacy Survey, which found that 48 percent of the nation's
working-age population was functionally illiterate.
"This is a ticking time bomb, a dirty secret we don't want to talk about. We
are losing the battle," said Mark Drummond, chancellor of California's
community college system.
Dozens of community-based groups, including the Literacy Network of Greater
Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Unified School District and other public
agencies vowed to improve programs over the next five years by connecting
English learners with employers and educating 1,000 workers with
English-language deficiencies during the next two years.
A top priority should be making classes more accessible. For example, the
report found that no school in the county offered Saturday classes or
tailored classes for adult students with families or multiple jobs.
And while nearly 90 percent of adults take literacy classes to improve their
employment opportunities, only 30 percent of literacy programs include the
workplace in their instruction.
"It's appalling," said Marge Nichols, the author of the study. "A 50 percent
dropout rate (for literacy classes) is pretty dysfunctional. We haven't kept
up."
Though the report offers no estimate for the cost of functional illiteracy,
the National Right to Read Foundation places the price tag nationally at
$224 billion. And local observers say untold millions are being lost by
would-be employers who move to other cities in search of highly skilled
workers.
Before he enrolled in a literacy class at the North Valley Occupational
Center, Adolio Gonzales, 29, was intimidated by filling out job applications
or even going to an amusement park.
"I didn't want to go to Disneyland because I thought it was so complicated,"
said the Reseda resident, who waits tables at a Carrows restaurant and wants
to become a computer programmer.
Gonzales emigrated from Guatemala seven years ago and taught himself to
speak English by watching television programs.
But he often found himself confused by the simplest task, and had trouble
filling out an application at a fast-food restaurant two years ago.
"The application asked why I wanted to work for this company and I didn't
know what to answer," he said.
Then, he enrolled in the literacy class, which emphasizes the basics, like
filling out forms and reading the newspaper.
"I feel comfortable now, like I can do anything."
Rachel Uranga, (818) 713-3741 ***@dailynews.com