More than 36 million American adults struggle to read, write, do math, and use technology above a third-grade level. The Program for the International Assessment of Adult Literacy (PIAAC) examined the United states and 23 other industrialized countries and found that U.S. mean literacy score was below the international average – Ranking 16th out of 24 countries. There is a correlation between low literacy rate and a low paycheck. Just 35% of individuals with below basic skills are employed full-time, while 64% of people with proficient literacy skills have full-time employment. The salaries of adults with below-basic literacy skills are, on average, $28,000 less than salaries of adults with proficient skills.