Why Adult Foundational Skills Matter Now More Than Ever
Mary Freeman, Senior Policy Associate & Vickie Choitz, Senior Consultant
Corporation for a Skilled Workforce
Inadequate basic skills endanger lives and economic security. Adults need skills in reading, math, and English, as well as employability skills, financial and digital literacy, and career management skills to navigate the health and economic crises we all are facing right now. The COVID-19 pandemic is revealing our country’s inadequate investments in shoring up these adult basic skills and the devastating consequences.
In an emergency, reliable information, and the ability to read and understand it is critical for safety, adaptation, even survival. And yet, 35 million adults — 18% of the adult population — have low literacy skills. Adults need to be able to read and understand critical information to keep them and their families safe. For example, the ability to read can be a life or death skill when it comes to proper handwashing and face mask wearing instructions, school closing information, definitions of essential workers and their childcare options, guidelines for food shopping or the location of food pantries, and understanding reports about the statistical implications of geometric spread of disease.
Dozens of financial matters requiring mathematical facility present themselves, but 58 million adults — 30% of the adult population — have low math skills. They will struggle with basic questions such as: What does it mean to take a 40% pay cut? How long will I be able to pay the rent? How much unemployment insurance can I expect, and how long will it pay the bills? Lack of basic math skills hampers the ability to make sound family financial decisions.
Combating the pandemic has resulted in the world moving online and we all have to learn to adapt quickly. Shopping in person has become dangerous for shoppers but especially workers in grocery stores, and many consumers have moved online to arrange for delivery of essential items, including groceries. Telecommuting and using online tools to apply for unemployment insurance, look for work, and shop require digital literacy skills. The user must register for one or more services by creating a username and password and keep track of those credentials, keep devices running smoothly, and understand how to use the database applications. (S)he may even need to do research to find affordable internet service in the first place. However, 32 million adults — 16% of the adult population — do not have the basic digital literacy skills needed to find a recipe, buy an item, or file taxes online. Additionally, a range of reading and math skills are required to find and navigate the most relevant and helpful web pages, identify the items you want or services you need, compare prices and quality from multiple sources, place orders and deal with whatever problems may arise.
The federal and state governments are rushing to provide support for workers and businesses. How can you find out whether you qualify for those supports? Where do you apply? Are you eligible for unemployment under the new rules enacted by the Congress? Not only are basic skills required for all these activities, but critical thinking comes into play, as well. Would the return on taking a gig economy job delivering groceries for people outweigh the health risks to my family? The ability to distinguish between solid sources of information and conspiracy or other false theories; to search the Internet without being side-tracked by phony offers and promotions; to identify the institutions and sites that rely on reputable experts matters.
Many homes have become remote learning sites for students. Parents must have solid reading, math, digital, and other basic foundational skills to be able to assist and support their children in developing these skills and to follow school advice about creating an appropriate learning environment. Younger students often have assignments that require parental help. Ideally, all generations would be able to problem solve, conduct research, and identify critical information.
In an isolated world, there is an increased likelihood of mental health issues. Maintaining contact with one’s community, connecting with family and friends, religious and social groups becomes a lifeline and an antidote to the loneliness of sheltering in place. Phone calls work well, but many are moving to social media, group chats, Zoom conferences and other technologies to stream events, talk with multiple people at once, see people’s faces. Again, many literacy and digital skills are required here. Zoom is most vibrant if people know how to share video of themselves, can contribute their thoughts in the chat room, perhaps even show items to the group using the screen share feature. Every step requires skills that are woefully unevenly distributed in our society.
As unemployment soars, incentives supporting adults to address gaps in their foundational skills would help prepare them for better family sustaining jobs post COVID-19. Longstanding under-investment in adult education can be turned around now, and our country can come out of this crisis with a better prepared workforce. It is crucial that this be one of the elements of federal recovery legislation that does not get left behind. In this period of unprecedented simultaneous public health and economic crises, adult education matters more than ever.
