In Nietzel’s Forbes article, “Low Literacy Levels among U.S. Adults Could Be Costing the Economy $2.2 Trillion a Year” (PDF below), he points out that “54% of U.S. adults 16-74 years old – about 130 million people – lack proficiency in literacy, reading below the equivalent of a sixth-grade level.” 

• What is most surprising to you about this fact?
• What is the connection between income and literacy – as Nietzel describes it?
• What are the literacy levels in your community? How might you conduct research to find this answer?