This study examines the literacy skills of adults and compares the literacy skills of workers with different types of training by conducting a data analysis of the 2003 assessment data.

Abstract/ Project Description

AIR is the design and analysis contractor for the 2003 National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL). The 2003 NAAL will help policymakers, program administrators, educators, and researchers who want to obtain a greater understanding of the English literacy skills of adults and various subgroups of adults, including non-native English speakers, immigrants, parents, welfare recipients, minorities, and the elderly. Using data from the assessment, state policymakers will be able to identify populations most in need of literacy services and design programs to target them. The 2003 NAAL includes a new health literacy measure which will help policymakers develop health education materials targeted to the literacy levels of the intended audience. By comparing results from the 2003 NAAL to results from the 1992 National Adult Literacy Survey (NALS), we will be able to see how much progress the nation has made in improving literacy among various subpopulations.