Western Kentucky Illiteracy Rates Improve

By Carrie Pond

Murray, KY – A National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) report released last week shows many western Kentucky counties improving their adult literacy rates. The report is based on statistics from 2003 and provides a snapshot of adult literacy rates for individual states and counties. In western Kentucky, Todd County showed the greatest improvement, with the percent of residents who lack basic literacy skills moving from 31 percent in 1992 to 14 percent in 2003. Fulton County currently has the highest adult illiteracy rate at 18 percent, with Calloway and McCracken counties at the lowest with 11 percent. The state's adult illiteracy rate is 12 percent.