Skills of U.S. Unemployed, Young, and Older Adults in Sharper Focus: U.S. PIAAC 2012/2014 Peggy Carr, Ph.D. Acting Commissioner National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) Washington, DC March 10, 2016 Results Embargoed Until March 10, 2016 Results Embargoed Until March 10,

Updated International Comparisons  The U.S. average score in literacy was not measurably different than the international average, but in numeracy and digital problem solving it was below the international average.  Unemployed adults (16-65): Over 75 percent of U.S. unemployed adults have a high school diploma or less education. About half of these adults performed at the bottom proficiency levels in numeracy.  Young adults (16-34): A larger percentage of U.S. young adults with a college degree or higher education performed at the top proficiency levels in literacy than their international peers.  Older adults (66-74): A larger percentage of U.S. older adults who reported fair health performed at the bottom levels in literacy than those who reported good, very good, or excellent health. New U.S. results for 3 subgroups What’s New in this Release 2

What is PIAAC? In , PIAAC was administered for the first time in 24 OECD and partner countries, including the United States Results from the first round of PIAAC were released in 2013 Initial U.S. results based on a sample of about 5,000 adults (ages 16-65) Organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Conducted in households with adults (ages 16 to 65) The Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) is an international large–scale assessment of adult skills 3

What is PIAAC? – cont. In , the United States supplemented its original sample with 3,660 more adults. The U.S. second round of data collection oversampled: Unemployed (age 16-65) Young adults (age 16-34) Older adults (age 66-74) 4

2012 Sample Nationally Representative 5,010 adults years old 2014 Sample 3,660 adults Oversampled Unemployed Young adults Older adults Combined 2012/2014 Sample Nationally Representative 8,670 adults years old 2012/2014 U.S. PIAAC Sample 5

What Does PIAAC Measure? PIAAC’s cognitive assessment measures:  Literacy  Numeracy  Problem solving in technology-rich environments (“digital problem solving”) Literacy and numeracy are given either on a computer or in paper-and-pencil format 6

What Other Information Does PIAAC Collect? Background questionnaire collects information on: 1.Work experience, education, training, health, and attitudes 2.Details on types and frequency of skill use for: Reading- and numeracy-related activities IT at work and in everyday life 3.A range of generic skills required of individuals in their work e.g., public-speaking, collaborating, selling, organizing 7

How Results are Reported As Average scores on a scale As Proficiency levels anchored by a specific set of concrete skills – 6 levels for Literacy and Numeracy – 4 levels for Digital Problem Solving 8

Literacy example item: Below level 1 CandidateVotes Candidate A4,857 Candidate B5,423 Candidate C3,563 Results of Union Election Note: Not an actual replica of test item 9 So which candidate received the fewest votes? The test-taker is presented with a report on the results of a union election. The test-taker is asked to compare the number of votes. The test-taker needs to identify 3,563 as the lowest number of votes. 90% of U.S. test- takers got this item correct

Search Results Sorted by Relevance Literacy example item: Level 4 10 Note: Not an actual replica of test item At vero eos et accusamus: et iusto odio dignissimos ducimus qui blanditiis praesentium voluptatum deleniti atque corrupti quos dolores et quas molestias excepturi sint Nobis est eligendi optio: cumque nihil impedit quo minus id quod maxime placeat facere possimus, omnis voluptas assumenda est, omnis dolor repellendus. Temporibus autem Hic occaecati cupiditate: non provident, similique sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt Et harum quidem rerum facilis est et expedita distinctio. Nam libero tempore, cum soluta Quibusdam et aut officiis: debitis aut rerum necessitatibus saepe eveniet ut et voluptates repudiandae sint et molestiae non recusandae. Itaque earum rerum hic tenetur a sapiente Which book suggests that the claims made both for and against genetically modified foods are unreliable? The test-taker is presented with the results of a bibliographic search from a simulated library website. The answer must be inferred from the search result that says book D “describes how both sides in this hotly contested debate have manufactured propaganda...” The test-taker is asked to identify a book that meets specific criteria. Book A Book B Book C Book D 24% of U.S. test- takers got this item correct

Locate single piece of information in familiar texts. Read relatively short digital, print or mixed texts to locate single text. Make matches between text and information that may require low level para- phrasing and drawing low-level inferences. Identify, interpret, or evaluate one or more pieces of information and often require varying levels of inference. Perform multiple- step operations to integrate, interpret, or synthesize information from complex texts, and may require complex inferences. Integrate information across multiple, dense texts; construct syntheses, ideas or points of view; or evaluate evidence based arguments. Below Level 1 Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Level 4 Level 5 Descriptions of the PIAAC proficiency levels for literacy defining what adults can do at each level 11

Outline of Findings  Updated International comparisons  International workforce population (16-65 year-olds)  New U.S. Findings  Unemployed Adults (16-65)  Young Adults (16-34)  Older Adults (66-74)  Overall population (16-74) 12

Outline of Findings  Updated International comparisons  International workforce population (16-65 year-olds)  New U.S. Findings  Unemployed Adults (16-65)  Young Adults (16-34)  Older Adults (66-74)  Overall population (16-74) 13

Literacy: U.S. average score was not measurably different than the international average 7 14

Literacy: Compared to the international average, larger percentage of U.S. adults performed at both the top level (4/5) and the bottom levels (1 and below) 15

Numeracy: U.S. average score was lower than the international average 16

Numeracy: Compared to the international average, the U.S. had a smaller percentage (10 vs 12 percent) at the top level (4/5) and a larger percentage at the bottom levels (27 vs 19 percent) 17

Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments(PS-TRE): U.S. average score was below the international average 18

Problem Solving in Technology-Rich Environments (PR-TRE): Compared to the international average, the U.S. had a smaller percentage (5 vs 8 percent) at the top level (3) and a larger percentage at the bottom levels (64 vs 55 percent) 19

Outline of Findings  Updated International comparisons  International workforce population (16-65 year-olds)  New U.S. Findings  Unemployed Adults (16-65)  Young Adults (16-34)  Older Adults (66-74)  Overall population (16-74) 20

Employment and Literacy Skills of the Unemployed: A larger percentage of U.S. adults who were unemployed or out of the labor force performed at the bottom levels in literacy than those employed 21

Employment and Literacy Skills of the Unemployed: A larger percentage of U.S. adults who were unemployed or out of the labor force performed at the bottom levels in literacy than those employed 22

Education & Numeracy Skills of the Unemployed: Over 75 percent of U.S. unemployed adults have a high school diploma or less education. About half of these adults performed at the bottom proficiency levels in numeracy 23

Education & Numeracy Skills of the Unemployed: Over 75 percent of U.S. unemployed adults have a high school diploma or less education. About half of these adults performed at the bottom proficiency levels in numeracy v 24

Outline of Findings  Updated International comparisons  International workforce population (16-65 year-olds)  New U.S. Findings  Unemployed Adults (16-65)  Young Adults (16-34)  Older Adults (66-74)  Overall population (16-74) 25

Education & Numeracy Skills of Young Adults: A larger percentage of U.S. young adults with a high school diploma or below performed at the bottom levels in numeracy than their international peers 26

Education & Numeracy Skills of Young Adults: A larger percentage of U.S. young adults with a high school diploma or below performed at the bottom levels in numeracy than their international peers v v 27

Education & PS-TRE Skills of Young Adults: A larger percentage of U.S. young adults with a high school diploma or below performed at the bottom levels than their international peers in problem solving in technology-rich environments 28

Education & PS-TRE Skills of Young Adults: A larger percentage of U.S. young adults with a high school diploma or below performed at the bottom levels than their international peers in problem solving in technology-rich environments v v 29

Education & Literacy Skills of Young Adults: A larger percentage of U.S. young adults with a higher education degree performed at the top levels (4/5) in literacy than their international peers 30

Education & Literacy Skills of Young Adults: A larger percentage of U.S. young adults with a higher education degree performed at the top levels (4/5) in literacy than their international peers 31

Outline of Findings  Updated International comparisons  International workforce population (16-65 year-olds)  New U.S. Findings  Unemployed Adults (16-65)  Young Adults (16-34)  Older Adults (66-74)  Overall population (16-74) 32

Education & Literacy Skills of Older Adults: At the two highest education levels, there was no measurable difference in the percentage of older adults age who performed at the top level (4/5) 33

Education & Literacy Skills of Older Adults: At the two highest education levels, there was no measurable difference in the percentage of older adults age who performed at the top level (4/5) 34

Health & Literacy Skills of Older Adults: A larger percentage of U.S. older adults (66-74) who reported fair health performed at the bottom levels in literacy than those who reported good, very good, or excellent health 35

Health & Literacy Skills of Older Adults: A larger percentage of U.S. older adults (66-74) who reported fair health performed at the bottom levels in literacy than those who reported good, very good, or excellent health 36

Outline of Findings  Updated International comparisons  International workforce population (16-65 year-olds)  New U.S. Findings  Unemployed Adults (16-65)  Young Adults (16-34)  Older Adults (66-74)  Overall population (16-74) 37

Age & Literacy Skills: Larger percentages of adults age and performed at the top level (4/5) in literacy than adults at all the other age intervals 38

Age & Literacy Skills: Larger percentages of adults age and performed at the top level (4/5) in literacy than adults at all the other age intervals 39

Highlighted Findings The U.S. average score in literacy was not measurably different than the international average, but in numeracy and digital problem solving it was below the international average. The U.S. has a higher proportion of low performers in literacy, numeracy, and digital problem solving than other OECD countries. Among young adults with a bachelor’s degree or more education, the U.S. has a larger proportion of high performers in literacy than the international average. 40

For more information on PIAAC PIAAC Home Page-- PIAAC Gateway-- NCES Contacts: Stephen Provasnik df Holly Xiedfdfd 41

Numeracy example item: Level 3 Running Shoes SALE! Buy one pair – get the second (of equal or lesser value) for half price! $ How much would you pay if you bought both pairs on sale? The test-taker is asked to calculate total amount one would need to pay for both shoes during the sale The test-taker needs to calculate and enter the correct dollar amount for the two pairs of shoes on sale. 42 Note: Not an actual replica of test item The test-taker is presented with information about a shoe sale.

Automotive Factory The test-taker is presented with factory data for two years and a bar graph. Numeracy example item: Level 2 Which two bars are incorrect? MonthYear 1Year 2 Jan2017 Feb2122 Mar3431 Apr3036 May3533 Jun2823 Jul2421 Aug2519 Sep1914 Oct2318 Nov2219 Dec1922 Total Number of workers absent In Year 2 The test-taker needs to compare the table to the bars in the chart and find two bars that do not match the data table. 43 Note: Not an actual replica of test item The test-taker is asked to find two mistakes in the bar graph.

Numeracy example item: Below Level 1 Which product was packed first? The test-taker is asked to determine which grocery item was packed first. The test-taker needs to compare the date on each label to determine the earliest date. 44 Note: Not an actual replica of test item The test-taker is presented with four labels from common grocery items. PEANUT BUTTER $3.36 Weight: 28 oz Packaged on: 3/24/12 TOMATO SOUP $1.15 Weight: 3.5 oz Packaged on: 5/17/12 ORANGE JUICE $2.99 Weight: 64 oz Packaged on: 11/8/12 BEEF JERKY $6.29 Weight: 16 oz Packaged on: 2/14/12 86% of U.S. test- takers got this item correct

International Data Explorer (IDE) 45

2012 – Initial results (U.S. and 23 other countries) 2014 – U.S. National Supplement 2017 – U.S. National 5-year update – State and county level estimates for period U.S. and more than 30 other countries 46 U.S. Participation in PIAAC