APPLETON, Wis. (WFRV) – A new report released on Wednesday in Appleton highlighted how literacy impacts everything from healthcare to student success.
The organization Fox Valley Literacy unveiled the area’s first-ever State of Literacy Report on March 4.
Fox Valley Literacy officials say that literacy stretches far beyond just reading books; it affects how people navigate daily life.
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“We do adult literacy education ranging from English language learning to passing a citizenship test to financial literacy and digital literacy,” began Fox Valley Literacy Executive Director Brian Leone Tracy. “There are a lot of different aspects to literacy.”
The report, based on input from more than 800 community members, found that many adults struggle with digital skills.
“54% of native speakers struggle to find good information online that is trustworthy, and almost 40% of them still struggle with technology skills, and that’s your school, your healthcare, that’s everything these days,” added Leone Tracy.
Program leaders say that this can create confusion, especially in healthcare.
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“Understanding healthcare information is a huge challenge for most people in the community,” began Fox Valley Literacy Program & Operations Director Heather Chantelois-Kashal. “For example, not being able to determine if text messages from their doctor are spam.”
School leaders say adult literacy also impacts students, especially as more newcomers arrive in the district.
“For the last few years, we’ve been getting as many as 150 newcomers, as in new to the United States and new to Appleton, so it does pose a lot of challenges,” stated Appleton Area School District Superintendent Greg Hartjes. “So having organizations like Fox Valley Literacy in our community is critical.”
The full Fox Valley Literacy Report can be found here.
