Why is Literacy Important?

When learners improve their literacy skills, they can take control of their lives, support themselves and their families, and participate in their community.

Low literacy is defined as being unable to read, write, speak, compare and contrast, paraphrase, and make low-level inferences. All skills necessary to navigate life and complete daily tasks.

According to the 2022 American Community Survey, the population in DuPage County is 907,127 and includes:

• 53,162 adults who do not have a high school diploma.

• 70,756 residents living in poverty (2024 Federal poverty threshold for a family of four is $31,200).

• 250,805 residents that speak a language other than English at home and 87,614 speak English ‘less than well’.

• The median household income in DuPage County is $99,577, while the average annual income of a family served by Literacy DuPage is $27,200.

Additionally, children of parents with low literacy levels have a 72% chance of achieving only the lowest level of literacy when they become adults, creating a cycle of illiteracy and poverty that can span generations.

Literacy DuPage works with low-income adults in DuPage County who read below the ninth-grade level or speak English at a beginning level to improve their basic reading, writing, or English language proficiency and reach their life skill goals.