1. Where Do U.S. Adults’ Skills
Rank Internationally?
Johan Uvin
Office of Vocational and Adult Education
Chicago Regional Engagement Session
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2. PIAAC: The Survey of Adult Skills
q Int’l assessment administered in 2011-12 in 23 countries
q 16- to 65-year-olds, non-institutionalized, residing in the
country, irrespective of nationality, citizenship, or language
status
q Laptop computer or paper-and-pencil:
q In the U.S., 80% took the computer tests and 15% took
the paper-and-pencil tests.
q Assessment subjects:
q Literacy, Numeracy, and Problem Solving in TechnologyRich Environments
q Conducted in English in the U.S.:
q Background survey in English or Spanish. About 4% could
not complete the questionnaire because of language
difficulties or learning or mental disabilities, and 1% could
not complete it for other reasons.
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3. The U.S. PIAAC Sample
qWave 1: 5,000 individuals ages 16-65
q Wave 2: Adds 5,000 individuals (in 2015) to expand
sample with
qUnemployed adults (16-65)
qYoung adults (16-34)
qOlder adults (66-74)
qIncarcerated adults (16-74)
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4. Reports
From OECD on October 8
qOECD Skills Outlook 2013: First Results from the Survey of
Adult Skills
q Summary, Skilled for Life? Key Findings
q The U.S. country note,
Survey of Adult Skills, First Results: U.S.
From NCES on October 18
q“First Look” report
qPresents the U.S. performance in the international rankings
and some U.S.-specific data
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5. Time for the U.S. to Reskill?
Released November 12
This report:
q Interprets the U.S.
main findings
qContextualizes the U.S.
labor market realities
qOffers a detailed profile
of low-skilled adults
qIdentifies policy
implications and offers
policy recommendations
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6. U.S. Rankings Internationally
Source: Time for the U.S. to
Reskill?
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7. U.S. Proficiency Trends
Source: NCES “First
Look”
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8. Major U.S. Findings:
Great inequalities,
Intergenerational impacts, &
Negative social outcomes
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9. The U.S. has a very large lowskilled population.
Source: IES Presentation
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10. U.S. performance in numeracy is
particularly poor.
Figure 3-B. Percentage of adults age 16 to 65 at each level of proficiency on the PIAAC numeracy scale, by 10-year age intervals: 2012
United States
7
8
9
11
11
10
16–24 (18)
25–34 (20)
35–44 (20)
45–54 (22)
55–65 (19)
Overall
PIAAC international average
23
17
20
20
22
20
39
24
33
31
6
29
29
34
34
34
12
11
9
7
9
26
26
27
1
3
4
4
6
8
5
16–24 (17)
25–34 (20)
35–44 (21)
45–54 (21)
55–65 (20)
Overall
0
13
11
12
35
37
29
39
31
15
20
10
33
38
14
27
34
20
30
17
16
11
37
34
50
Percent
60
70
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
7
35
40
Below
level 1
11
12
80
90
Level 4/5
100
Figure 3-C. Percentage of adults age 16 to 65 at each level of proficiency on the PIAAC problem solving in technology-rich
environments scale, by 10-year age intervals: 2012
Source: NCES “First Look”
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13-4
13-5
13-6
13-7
13-8
13-9
13-10
13-11
13-12
13-13
13-14
13-15
13-16
13-17
13-18
13-19
13-20
13-21
13-22
13-23
13-24
13-25
13-26
13-27
13-28
13-29
13-30
13-31
13-32
13-33
13-34

11. Minorities are disproportionately
represented in the low-skilled
population.
Figure 2.8.A Race/ethnicity of adults
with low literacy skills in the United
States
Source: Time for the U.S.
to Reskill?
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12. Adults from low-educated families are
10X more likely to have low skills.
Likelihood of lower literacy proficiency among low-educated adults
Source: Time for the U.S.
to Reskill?
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13. The U.S. is not integrating
immigrants well.
Source: NCES “First Look”
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14. The U.S. has high participation
rates in education and training.
Figure 2.4 Participation rate in adult education by literacy proficiency level
Source: Time for the U.S.
to Reskill?
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15. Learning disabilities play a role for
adults with low skills.
Source: NCES
“First Look”
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16. Adults with low skills are 4X more
likely to have poor/fair health –
2X the int’l average.
Figure 2.3 Low literacy proficiency and negative social outcomes
Source: Time for
the U.S. to
Reskill?
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17. Many U.S. low-skilled adults are
employed.
Source: NCES
“First Look”
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Skills are highly rewarded in the
U.S. labor market.
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Figure E.6 Do education and numeracy proficiency affect wages?
numeracy proficiency affect wages?
Do education and
Percentage change in wages associated with a one standard deviation change in years of education and proficiency in
numeracy
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19. Recommendations and
Reflections
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20. Recommendations from OECD
1. “…improve basic skills and tackle inequities.”
2. “Strengthen initial schooling for all....”
3. “Ensure effective and accessible education
opportunities for young adults…”
4. “Link efforts to improve basic skills to
employability...”
5. “Adapt to diversity.”
6. “Build awareness of the implications of weak
basic skills [and the] links with other social
factors…”
7. “Support action with evidence.”
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21. State & Country Data Graphics
(Find these on the OVAE Facts
and Figures page)
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24. 23

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26. Learn More:
Find materials on
http://nces.ed.gov/surveys/piaac/
www.TimetoReskill.org
http://piaacgateway.com
Send us your thoughts
http://skills.oecd.org/skillsoutlook.htm
OVAE@ed.gov
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