The Need: Adult Basic Education
Basic Education - A Human Right
Our focus in this service-learning experience is support for adults who are striving to attain basic education. As adopted in 1948 by the United Nations General Assembly, The Universal Declaration of Human Rights Links to an external site. is “common standards of achievement for all peoples and all nations.” As presented in the figure below, Article 26 of the declaration focuses on education, and states, "Everyone has the right to education."
Basic Education - A Global Need
Unfortunately, even with compulsory education in many countries Links to an external site., this right remains unrealized for millions of people. A September 2017 report on literacy rates from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Links to an external site. Institute for Statistics shows improving literacy among youth, but 750 million adults (two-thirds of whom are women) lack basic reading and writing skills.
Basic Education - A U.S. Need
In the U.S., compulsory school attendance laws vary by state
Links to an external site., but the age of required school attendance ranges from 5 to 18. Unfortunately, millions of adults in the U.S. over the age of 18 have not attained a high school diploma. According to 2016 U.S. Census Bureau data
Links to an external site., nearly 30 million (12%) of U.S. adults over the age of 18 are without a high school credential.
To put this figure into perspective, over 50 million children were enrolled in public elementary and secondary schools in 2016 according to U.S. Department of Education data Links to an external site.. Therefore, if all adults in the U.S. who had not reached high school equivalency entered the public school system, enrollment would increase by 60%.
Basic Education - U.S. Need by Grade Level
The 2016 U.S. Census Bureau data Links to an external site. offers detailed insight regarding the educational attainment levels of adults age 18 and over who have not completed high school. The table below summarizes the highest level of educational attainment for these nearly 30 million adults, which emphasizes the need for adult basic education at all grade levels.
Educational Attainment by Grade Level
|
|
|
Highest Grade Level Attained |
(000) |
|
Less than 1st grade |
815 |
|
1st-4th grade |
1,696 |
|
5th-6th grade |
3,475 |
|
7th-8th grade |
3,893 |
|
9th grade |
3,659 |
|
10th grade |
4,401 |
|
11th grade |
10,713 |
|
Total |
28,652 |
Implications of Basic Education Skill Gap
The adult basic skills gap is a significant problem preventing millions of Americans from finding living wage employment and contributing to the nation’s economy. Educational attainment is closely tied with both unemployment and wages. U.S. citizens age 16+ who have dropped out of high school before completion often perform at the lowest proficiency level (or below) in literacy (38%), math (59%), and problem-solving in technology-rich environments (81%) (PIAAC First Report, 2016) Links to an external site.. In 2016, 4% of adults in the U.S. were unemployed, but unemployment among those without high school credentials was 7.4% (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016 Links to an external site.).
Even when U.S. adults without a high school diploma find employment, their basic skills gap blocks them from higher paying jobs requiring more education. In 2016, the median weekly wage for adults without a high school diploma was $504, considerably lower than those with a bachelor's degree ($1,156), an associate’s degree ($819), or high school credentials ($692) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016 Links to an external site.).