Confronting the Literacy Gap

As of the 1990 Census, more than 416,000 Philadelphia residents over 18 did not have high school diplomas, including most adults who receive public assistance. Moreover, even many high school graduates still lacked the basic skills needed to compete in today's office and service economy.

JOIN believes that there is no way to help welfare recipients achieve family self-sufficiency without making a serious effort to close this Literacy Gap between their education and skills and work requirements today. Indeed, it is quite clear that closing the Literacy Gap must become a priority for Philadelphia itself--if we hope to reemerge as a viable American city.

JOIN is leading the fight to close the Literacy Gap. The resources below lay out our basic argument and access the major organizations--locally and nationally--that are dealing with this problem.