Literacy Facts There are many ways that you can help Oakland Literacy Council assist students in learning and developing their reading, writing, and comprehension skills so that they can accomplish specific goals, which are directly related to their daily life hindrances. But first, you should learn a little about illiteracy. Did you know... Approximately 170,000 adults in Oakland County are illiterate. Oakland Literacy Council students range in age from 18-80. Immigrants who have access to literacy services assimilate more quickly into the community and become more engaged in the economy. More than 50% of children born to low-literate parents will remain illiterate. Low literate adults are twice as likely to be unemployed contributing to the unemployment rate. Low literate adults have difficulty reading doctors' instructors, food labels, job applications, textbooks and their children's books. Low literacy adds an estimated $230 billion to the country's annual health care costs.