This monthly digest is written primarily for the staff of UC Cooperative Extension. It is produced by the staff of ANR's News and Information Outreach in Spanish (NOS) based on news reported by mainstream news media and reputable research institutions. Inclusion in the digest does not imply endorsement, nor does SBMS assume responsibility for the veracity of the information. We invite our readers to refer to the source to read more of each particular brief; we'll try to always include a link.

A survey of more than 19,000 adults age 16 and older points to declining literacy skills in Hispanics as compared to 1992. Gains were found for blacks and Asian/Pacific Islanders, while the average score of whites was reported as “largely unchanged” from 1992 to 2003. Assessment questions covered common tasks such as using a bus schedule, reading articles in magazines and newspapers and calculating utility bills. The National Assessment of Adult Literacy was undertaken “in a manner not done since 1992.” Released by the National Center for Education Statistics, this survey is thought to be “a comprehensive snapshot of the state of literacy among the U.S. population.”

Source: HispanicBusiness.com, “Family literacy targeting Hispanics prove successful while bridging the learning gap still needs concerted effort, attention,” December 15, 2005, http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/news/newsbyid.asp?id=27263