A Nation at Risk, Again: The Crisis in Literacy, Numeracy, and What We Must Do About It
“Literacy is not a luxury—it’s a lifeline. And when we deny it, we don’t just silence a voice, we sever a future.” - Mary Coughlin
A Nation at Risk, Again: The Crisis in Literacy, Numeracy, and What We Must Do About It
Trauma-Informed Perspective: What Literacy Is Really About
Why It Matters (And Why It’s Not Just a “School Problem”)
TL;DR
U.S. literacy and numeracy levels are declining—sharply and persistently—across both adult and youth populations.
The pandemic worsened existing inequities, but these trends began before 2020.
One-third of U.S. adults now score at the lowest levels in basic reading and math.
Our most vulnerable children are falling further behind, and school systems are struggling to respond.
This is not just an education problem—it’s a democracy problem, a public health crisis, and a call to arms for trauma-informed, relational, developmentally aligned care.
The Alarming Data
The latest national and international assessments confirm what many of us have been feeling in our bones: we are losing ground in the foundational skills of literacy and numeracy.
According to the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), the average literacy score among U.S. adults declined 12 points between 2017 and 2023—from 271 to 258. Even more concerning, the percentage of U.S. adults functioning at the lowest literacy level rose from 19% to 28% during the same period. Numeracy fell too: from 255 to 249, with 34% of adults now at or below the lowest numeracy level—a global high among OECD nations
(NCES, 2024).
And the next generation isn’t faring better. The 2024 Nation’s Report Card (NAEP) shows:
Only 60% of 4th graders and 67% of 8th graders meet basic reading proficiency levels—the lowest rates recorded since the assessment began in 1992.
Math scores have plummeted, with 8th grade proficiency down 9 points since 2019
(NAGB, 2025).
These aren’t just numbers. They’re signals. Red flags. Evidence that something is unraveling.
More Than Learning Loss
It would be easy to blame this on the pandemic. And certainly, COVID-19 disrupted early learning, especially for young children and those living in under-resourced communities. But the truth is:
this erosion of foundational learning began long before the pandemic.
Several systemic factors have contributed:
Inconsistent instruction in evidence-based literacy strategies (e.g. structured phonics).
Shifting educational priorities, with less emphasis on sustained reading and math fluency.
Over-reliance on technology and decreased reading for pleasure among youth.
Chronic absenteeism and unaddressed trauma, especially in marginalized communities.
Policy whiplash from culture wars around curriculum and funding.
These trends have converged to create a learning landscape filled with cracks—and it’s the most vulnerable learners who fall through first.
Trauma-Informed Perspective: What Literacy Is Really About
Reading and numeracy are not just academic skills. They are tools of agency, self-determination, and civic participation. When a child learns to read, they are not just decoding words—they are unlocking the door to understanding, self-advocacy, and connection. When an adult cannot read a medication label, apply for a job, or understand their rights, it’s not just an inconvenience—it’s a matter of health, livelihood, and dignity.
From a trauma-informed developmental care perspective, this literacy crisis is also a relational and nervous system crisis.
A brain under chronic stress struggles to learn.
A child who doesn’t feel safe can’t engage with story.
An educator who is under-resourced can’t scaffold the kind of co-regulated space needed for development to flourish.
This is why healing environments, predictable routines, and nurturing relationships—the heart of TIDC—are essential to the solution.
Why It Matters (And Why It’s Not Just a “School Problem”)
This isn’t just about school performance. It’s about the kind of society we’re shaping:
Low literacy is linked to higher rates of incarceration, chronic illness, and poverty.
Adults with low literacy are more likely to fall for misinformation, feel alienated from democracy, and lack the skills to advocate for themselves or their families.
As AI and automation reshape the job market, foundational skills are more—not less—essential to economic participation.
We are creating a two-tiered society: one that reads and one that is read to.
One that calculates and one that is calculated against.
If that doesn’t shake us awake, what will?
This Is Where You Come In
If you’re reading this, chances are you’re part of the solution.
You believe in healing-centered, human-first care.
You know that children aren’t just containers to be filled, but nervous systems to be nurtured.
You understand that trauma-informed developmental care isn’t a niche approach—it’s the new baseline.
So what can we do?
Call to Action: Reclaim the Narrative, Reweave the Web
Build literacy into your trauma-informed work.
Reading is a relational act. Invite books, storytelling, and shared language into your developmental care practices.
Champion evidence-based instruction and relational safety in your local schools, hospitals, and systems.
Phonics and play are not mutually exclusive. We need both.
Advocate for policy that funds early intervention, public libraries, multilingual support, and accessible learning tools.
Fight for NAEP funding. Support community literacy programs. Raise your voice.
Integrate literacy and numeracy into your advocacy for trauma-informed care, BUFFER practices, and Caring Science.
This is not outside your scope. It is your scope.
Talk about it. Post about it. Vote with it.
Refuse to normalize a system where one in three adults can’t read proficiently in the richest country on Earth.
Final Reflection
This isn’t about test scores.
It’s about whether we believe every person deserves the chance to participate fully in their life.
Literacy is liberation.
Numeracy is navigation.
And healing-informed, relational care is the vessel we need to sail through the storm.
Let’s stop patching holes.
Let’s build a better ship.
Because we are the weavers.
Because the future is reading.
In care, in courage, and in collective purpose,
Mary
