Do more than half of Philadelphia adults really read at or below 5th grade level? It’s time for a new way to describe what they know

An adult can read at a fifth grade level and still be a productive employee or caregiver who navigates practical life with competence.

By: Jennifer D. Kobrin, University of Tennessee, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: August 25, 2026

Words: 1,450

Last Updated: 1 month, 3 weeks ago

By Jennifer D. Kobrin, University of Tennessee

Over half of Philadelphia adults ages 18-64 read at a fifth grade level or below, according to a nationwide assessment released in 2020. A recent Axios Philadelphia article pointed to a lack of funding for adult education programs, some of which have wait lists, as a major cause of this decades-long adult literacy crisis.

As a longtime adult literacy researcher and former staff …

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