Defender: Beating Illiteracy - Houston READ Commission

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Beating illiteracy

Houstonians of all ages attend the launch of a Walking Toward Literacy event sponsored by the Houston Center for Literacy and Councilmember Jerry Davis.

Agencies address the problem

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By TIFFANY L. WILLIAMS Defender

eaders might not think twice about opening a book or browsing the Internet. But for those battling illiteracy, understanding words on a page or computer screen is a challenge. Houston’s adult illiteracy problem is a troubling reality that can have substantial implications on the city’s workforce, crime rate and poverty levels, as well as on the lives of families. “When people think about literacy in Houston, they think about kids,” said Sheri Suarez Foreman, president and CEO of Houston Center for Literacy (HCL). “Yes, they are the future of this city, but we forget about the

parents. They’re the No. 1 teachers in a student’s life.” Currently, one in five Harris County residents is fundamentally illiterate, and out of the nation’s 75 least literate cities, Houston ranked 60th, Suarez Foreman said. According to Liza McFadden, president of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy, there is a long waiting list for adults trying to return to school. “When people drop out of high school, it is very challenging to get back into the education system,” she said. “Then you create a cycle – you have a child who is likely to be illiterate.” McFadden said a mother’s education level is the No.

1 way to determine if a child is going to graduate from high school. Jacque Daughtry, COO of Making It Better (MIB), an organization founded by Councilman Jerry Davis that helps HISD students struggling with literacy, said nearly half of the students they serve are African-American or Hispanic. And of those students, 59 percent are from female-headed households.

Where it starts

“Statistics will tell you that [illiteracy] has to do with the economic state of the family,” Daughtry said. “Children are not getting the language development Continued on Page 10


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illiteracy...Continued from page 9 skills when they are really young because they’re not being read to on a regular basis, they’re not having conversations, people are not engaging with them and their experience is limited. “Our goal is to fill in the missing pieces, that the children do not have, that are causing them to struggle.” According to McFadden, if you’re a parent and you have less than a high school diploma, there is an 85 percent chance your child will live in poverty. Illiteracy rates are also linked to high school dropout rates, teen pregnancy, unemployment and even incarceration rates. In Texas, the average age of a It is important to erase the stigma of illiteracy. youth offender is 16, and the averLos Angeles, Houston has the least amount of funding,” she age reading level for youth offenders is 4th grade. That means a large number of the teenagers com- said. “That’s a problem.” In addition to obtaining more funding, McFadden said it mitting crimes are struggling with literacy. is also important to erase the stigma associated with illiteracy, When looking at unemployment, the numbers are just as an area in which her organization focuses its efforts. staggering. “We have to get past the idea that this is embarrassing,” In Houston, the unemployment rate is 14.1 percent for she said. “Literacy is a basic right no matter your age. those without a high school diploma. However, that numbers “We need to show people that this is so cool,” she said. drops significantly to 9.4 percent for individuals with a high “It’s okay at 24 years old to go back and get your high school school diploma. diploma and you should feel great about it.” “Houston is so spread out, and we’re economically segAt HCL, Suarez Foreman said they often partner with regated,” Suarez Foreman said. “There are pockets of poverty and pockets of wealth. People who can make a difference don’t other organizations to combat the city’s literacy problem. She said they are currently working on a literacy camsee the effects of illiteracy. Decision-makers and policy makers can go all day and never see this issue. They don’t feel, see and paign with Neil Bush, co-chair of The Barbara Bush Texas Fund for Family Literacy, to increase awareness, affect policy hear it.” and increase capacity. Suarez-Foreman said the HCL focuses primarily on “We are developing a blueprint that shows how we are education policy. “We could work all day long at the grass roots level or the going to create a more literate city,” she said. “Policy makers, families, everyone will have a place in this blueprint.” organization level, but unless we get to the policy-makers to The city’s economic prosperity depends on more educated effect change – we can never dig ourselves out of this hole,” families, Suarez Forman said. she said. “Houston doesn’t look like it did 25 years ago,” she said. Addressing the problem “Houston has grown. These problems can’t be addressed the A lack of funding is another big issue, Suarez Foreman way they were 25 years ago. We have to have some innovative, said. forward-thinking solutions. “When compared to other cities with similar demograph“And families and parents are a huge piece of the pie.” ics, diversity and workforce, such as Chicago, New York and

Literacy resources There are 33 million adults in the U.S. who are fundamentally illiterate. This population is often underserved due to a number of reasons, including a lack of funding for literacy programs, a stigma attached to receiving adult literacy help and a lack of knowledge about the available resources for help with literacy. In Texas, 19 percent of adults, aged 18 years and older, have less than a high school diploma, and only 3 percent of that population is enrolled in adult literacy programs. According to the Houston Center for Literacy’s website, there are more than 175 literacy centers in Houston. For the full list of local centers, visit houread.org. Other local, state and national resources available to individuals struggling with literacy include:

Facts & figures • Locally, 1 in 5 Harris county residents lacks basic literacy skills, up from 1 in 7 in 1992. • Of the 75 most populous cities in the United States, Houston was recently ranked No. 60, with No. 75 being the least literate. In 2005, Houston ranked No. 53. • The unemployment rate for Houstonians without a high school diploma is 14. 1 percent. For those with a high school diploma, that number drops to 9.4 percent. • Statewide, there are more than 18,000,000 adults in Texas. Of that 18 and up population, 19 percent have less than a high school diploma. • 3.8 million people in Texas need the services of an adult education program, but only 100,000 are being served. • Nationally, 33 million adults in the U.S. are illiterate. • One in seven adults cannot read a job application. • In 2009, 14.6 percent of those without a high school diploma were unemployed compared to 9.7 percent of high school graduates. Sources include U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Dept. of Labor, Texas Workforce Investment Council, Barbara Bush Foundation, National Assessment of Adult Literacy, Houston Center for Literacy.

Literacy Advance of Houston (713) 266-8777 literacyadvance.org/

Literacy Texas 888-577-9347 literacytexas.org/

United Way Helpline 2-1-1 referral.unitedwayhouston.org/

Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy 850-562-5300 barbarabushfoundation.com/

Texas Education Agency (512) 463-9734 tea.state.tx.us

National Coalition For Literacy (865) 680-7668 national-coalition-literacy.org/
