IALS - International Adult Literacy Survey

Between 19 and 23 percent of U.S. adults performed at levels 4 and 5 in 1994, the highest levels, on the three literacy scales (Figure 1). Between 21 and 24 percent of U.S. adults performed at level 1 in 1994, the lowest level, on the three literacy scales (Figure 1).

Nearly one-third of U.S. adults demonstrated level 3 skills in 1994, the middle level of proficiency, across all three scales, while approximately one-fourth of U.S. adults demonstrated level 2 skills across the three scales (Figure 1).

Figure 1. Percentage of U.S. population aged 16-65 at each literacy level: 1994

NOTE: For more information on how literacy levels were defined, see Annex A of Literacy in the Information Age: Final Report of the International Adult Literacy Survey, available at here.
Source: OECD and Statistics Canada, 2000. Literacy in the Information Age: Final Report of the International Adult Literacy Survey, pages 17-18.

Sweden had higher percentages of their adults at level 4/5 on all three scales compared to all other participating countries and regions in the mid-1990s (Figure 2).

Figure 2. Percentage of population aged 16-65 at each literacy level, by country or region: 1994-1998

Countries and regions are ranked by the proportion in Level 3 or above.
Source: OECD and Statistics Canada, 2000. Literacy in the Information Age: Final Report of the International Adult Literacy Survey, pages 17-18, Figure 2.2. Found on the web here.

Comparison of the distribution levels between the United States and Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom reveals that the United States had a greater percentage of people at level 1 compared to Canada in the mid-1990s in the three literacy scales. The other two countries did not differ in the percentage of the population at level 1. At level 4/5, the United States had a greater percentage of people than the United Kingdom on the prose scale; a lesser percentage of people than Canada on the document scale; and a greater percentage of people than both New Zealand and the United Kingdom on the quantitative scale (Figure 3).

Figure 3. Percentage of population aged 16-65 at each literacy level, by country or region: 1994-1996

Source: OECD and Statistics Canada, 2000. Literacy in the Information Age: Final Report of the International Adult Literacy Survey, pages 17-18. Found on the web here.

Based on average score on the prose scale, the United States: was outperformed by four countries or regions in the mid-1990s (Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Netherlands); performed similarly to six countries or regions (Canada, Germany, New Zealand, Denmark, Australia and Belgium); and outperformed 11 countries or regions (Czech Republic, United Kingdom, Ireland, French-speaking Switzerland, Italian-speaking Switzerland, German-speaking Switzerland, Hungary, Slovenia, Poland, Portugal and Chile) (Figure 4).

Figure 4. Comparison of average scores of adults aged 16-65 on the prose literacy scale, by country or region: 1994-1998

NOTE: Read across the row to compare performance with the countries or regions listed in the heading of the chart. The symbols indicate whether the mean proficiency of the country or region in the row is significantly lower than that of the comparison country or region, significantly higher than that of the comparison country or region, or if there is no statistically significant difference between the two countries or regions. Countries or regions are ranked by average score across the heading and down the rows. Statistically significant differences are at the 0.5 level, adjusted for multiple comparisons.
Source: OECD and Statistics Canada, 2000. Literacy in the Information Age: Final Report of the International Adult Literacy Survey, page 19, Figure 2.3 A.

Based on average score on the document scale, the United States: was outperformed by 11 countries or regions in the mid-1990s (Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Netherlands, Germany, Czech Republic, Canada, Belgium, French-speaking Switzerland, and Australia); performed similarly to four countries or regions (United Kingdom, New Zealand, Italian-speaking Switzerland, and German-speaking Switzerland) and outperformed six countries or regions (Ireland, Hungary, Slovenia, Poland, Portugal and Chile) (Figure 5).

Figure 5. Comparison of average scores of adults aged 16-65 on the document literacy scale, by country or region: 1994-1998

NOTE: Read across the row to compare performance with the countries or regions listed in the heading of the chart. The symbols indicate whether the mean proficiency of the country or region in the row is significantly lower than that of the comparison country or region, significantly higher than that of the comparison country or region, or if there is no statistically significant difference between the two countries or regions. Countries or regions are ranked by average score across the heading and down the rows. Statistically significant differences are at the 0.5 level, adjusted for multiple comparisons.
Source: OECD and Statistics Canada, 2000. Literacy in the Information Age: Final Report of the International Adult Literacy Survey, page 20, Figure 2.3 B.

Based on average score on the quantitative scale, the United States: was outperformed by eight countries or regions in the mid-1990s (Sweden, Denmark, Czech Republic, Norway, Germany, Netherlands, Finland, and French-speaking Switzerland); performed similarly to five countries or regions (Belgium, Canada, German-speaking Switzerland, Italian-speaking Switzerland and Australia); and outperformed eight countries or regions (New Zealand, Hungary, United Kingdom, Ireland, Slovenia, Poland, Portugal and Chile)  (Figure 6).

Figure 6. Comparison of average scores of adults aged 16-65 on the quantitative literacy scale, by country or region: 1994-1998

NOTE: Read across the row to compare performance with the countries or regions listed in the heading of the chart. The symbols indicate whether the mean proficiency of the country or region in the row is significantly lower than that of the comparison country or region, significantly higher than that of the comparison country or region, or if there is no statistically significant difference between the two countries or regions. Countries or regions are ranked by average score across the heading and down the rows. Statistically significant differences are at the 0.5 level, adjusted for multiple comparisons.                                                                                                                                 
Source: OECD and Statistics Canada, 2000. Literacy in the Information Age: Final Report of the International Adult Literacy Survey, page 21, Figure 2.3 C.

In terms of literacy skills and employment status, 59 percent of U.S. adults at level 1 on the document literacy scale were employed in 1994. The percentage of employed adults at level 2 (71 percent) was not significantly different from the percentage at level 1. However, the percentage of employed adults at levels 3 (77 percent) and 4/5 (82 percent) were higher than at level 1 (Figure 7).

Figure 7. Percentage of U.S. adults, age 16-65, by employment status and document literacy level: 1994

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 1997. Working Paper: Adult Literacy: An International Perspective, Figure 2.1, page 25. Found on the web here.