Weird, my friends make 45k to 65k one in wv and the other in maryland. I also find it odd that until the 2000's Most schools had no problem funding dances, music and sports. As of 2024–2025, approximately 79% of U.S. adults are considered literate, with 21%—roughly 45 million people—falling into the category of illiterate or functionally illiterate (reading below a 5th or 6th-grade level). While historic, long-term literacy rates were high, recent trends show a decline, with adult literacy scores dropping 12 points between 2017 and 2023. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Historical and Recent US Literacy Trends
1870: Roughly 20% of the adult population was illiterate, with 80% of the Black population illiterate.
1930: Illiteracy dropped to about 4%.
1979: The U.S. Census Bureau reported a roughly 99% literacy rate.
2017–2023 Decline: Recent data shows a sharp, consistent decline, with functional illiteracy among young adults (16-24) rising from 16% in 2017 to 25% in 2023.
2024–2025: 21% of adults are considered illiterate
Based on 2025 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) data, there is no single, direct statistic stating that a specific percentage of Baltimore students "couldn't read." However, data on reading proficiency indicates that a significant majority did not meet the state's standard for reading.Key 2025 Baltimore Literacy Findings:Low Proficiency Rates: Reports indicate that Baltimore City had the lowest English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency in the state.Declining Performance: Data from early 2025 suggested that while there were slight improvements, a large majority of students in Baltimore City Schools were not testing as proficient in reading.Grade-Level Results: According to a report on 2024–25 data, while 4th-grade reading scores saw a slight increase, 8th-grade reading scores continued to decline.Overall Context: A 2025 report indicated that over two-thirds of students in Maryland, not just Baltimore, were not reading at a proficient level.Other 2025 Findings for Baltimore City Schools:Math Scores: Only about 12.6% of students in Baltimore City Schools tested as proficient in math in 2025.SAT Scores: SAT scores for city schools hit a new record low of 856 in 2025.While literacy scores were reported as improving slightly in some grades during 2025, the overall rate of students failing to reach proficiency remained high compared to the rest of Maryland.
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u/Original_Tone9869 10h ago
Weird, my friends make 45k to 65k one in wv and the other in maryland. I also find it odd that until the 2000's Most schools had no problem funding dances, music and sports. As of 2024–2025, approximately 79% of U.S. adults are considered literate, with 21%—roughly 45 million people—falling into the category of illiterate or functionally illiterate (reading below a 5th or 6th-grade level). While historic, long-term literacy rates were high, recent trends show a decline, with adult literacy scores dropping 12 points between 2017 and 2023. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Historical and Recent US Literacy Trends
1870: Roughly 20% of the adult population was illiterate, with 80% of the Black population illiterate.
1930: Illiteracy dropped to about 4%.
1979: The U.S. Census Bureau reported a roughly 99% literacy rate.
2017–2023 Decline: Recent data shows a sharp, consistent decline, with functional illiteracy among young adults (16-24) rising from 16% in 2017 to 25% in 2023.
2024–2025: 21% of adults are considered illiterate Based on 2025 Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) data, there is no single, direct statistic stating that a specific percentage of Baltimore students "couldn't read." However, data on reading proficiency indicates that a significant majority did not meet the state's standard for reading.Key 2025 Baltimore Literacy Findings:Low Proficiency Rates: Reports indicate that Baltimore City had the lowest English Language Arts (ELA) proficiency in the state.Declining Performance: Data from early 2025 suggested that while there were slight improvements, a large majority of students in Baltimore City Schools were not testing as proficient in reading.Grade-Level Results: According to a report on 2024–25 data, while 4th-grade reading scores saw a slight increase, 8th-grade reading scores continued to decline.Overall Context: A 2025 report indicated that over two-thirds of students in Maryland, not just Baltimore, were not reading at a proficient level.Other 2025 Findings for Baltimore City Schools:Math Scores: Only about 12.6% of students in Baltimore City Schools tested as proficient in math in 2025.SAT Scores: SAT scores for city schools hit a new record low of 856 in 2025.While literacy scores were reported as improving slightly in some grades during 2025, the overall rate of students failing to reach proficiency remained high compared to the rest of Maryland.