Top Literacy Stories: February 13

Top Stories in LiteracyStates shake up adult education to help low-skilled workers
President Barack Obama’s recent proposal to “train 2 million Americans with skills that will lead directly to a job” barely scratches the surface of one of the nation’s most vexing labor problems.

Low Literacy Hurts Women’s Wages More than Men’s
Women at all levels of literacy tend to have lower wages than comparable men, but the gender wage gap is most noticeable between men and women of low literacy levels.

Nora Sanders has been named the Adult Learner of the Year
Nora Sanders of Shelbyville has been named the Adult Learner of the Year by the Commission on Adult Basic Education (COABE). Sanders was named Tennessee Adult Learner of the Year last fall and was selected from COABE from among other state winners.

New Report Finds More Older Americans Seeking Literacy/Basic Ed Programs
The percentage of adults 55 and older in adult literacy/basic education programs has doubled since the economic downturn in 2008, says a new report from ProLiteracy and Senior Service America.

Congress Ponders Adding GED Requirement to Unemployment Benefits
The House and Senate are debating a provision that would tie unemployment benefits to a high school diploma or a GED and to drug testing.