Far
too many American young people, an estimated 3.8
million between the ages of 18 and 24, have
profoundly weak reading skills, have dropped out
of school, and are unemployed. Nationally, only
about two-thirds of all students who enter 9th
grade graduate four years later with regular high school
diplomas.
Disturbingly,
many youth who can’t read are winding up in
prison. Though general studies have long connected
illiteracy and criminal behavior, the numbers for
youth are particularly dismal: 90% of the 11,000
youth in adult detention facilities nationwide
have no more than a 9th grade education, and the
average reading level nationally for ninth grade
youth in correctional facilities is fourth grade.
In
California, three library literacy programs are
taking action to turn this problem around. Through
California
Library Literacy Services (CLLS), the San
Mateo County Library, the Stanislaus County
Library and the City of Pomona Public Library,
with the support of state leaders including
Assembly Member Anna Caballero (D-Salinas) and
State Librarian Susan Hildreth, are piloting a
3-year youth literacy program that serves our
state’s most at-risk young people by giving them
easy ways to navigate out of illiteracy.
In
spring 2008 San Mateo County Library, Stanislaus
County Library and City of Pomona Public Library
joined the project whose focus is to attract and
tutor English speaking young adults ages 16 -24
who are not attending school and are in danger of
joining gangs, or committing crimes.
To
connect with these young people, literacy staff in
the 3 participating libraries will network and
partner with community based organizations and
social service agencies that serve that
population. They will recruit and train tutors and
volunteers who specifically want to work with
young adults, and literacy staff will develop
collections of instructional and support materials
especially for this group.
The
innovative 3-year literacy project supports 2007
legislation which Assembly Member Caballero
authored to address the rising number of
incarcerated youth without functional literacy
skills. Although the original legislation received
significant bi-lateral support with both the
Senate and Assembly, the bill was ultimately
vetoed by the Governor. State Librarian Susan
Hildreth and Assembly member Caballero conferred
and agreed that addressing youth literacy needs
was important and that the CLLS infrastructure was
well positioned to carry out this project. The
Youth Literacy project will be funded in part by
LSTA Federal funds and with local in-kind
contributions.
For
more information about the CLLS Youth Literacy project,
please contact Jacquie Brinkley at the California State Library at
jbrinkley@library.ca.gov.
[1]
Martin, N., & Halperin, S. (2006).
Whatever It Takes: How Twelve Communities are Reconnecting Out-of-School
Youth. Washington,
DC: American Youth Policy Forum.
