We’ve got a crisis that’s dumber than a screen door on a submarine, and it’s staring us right in the face. Recent bombshells from just this year—hell, some dropped as fresh as December 1, 2025—reveal that over half our adults are reading below a sixth-grade level, with functional illiteracy clocking in at 21 percent. That’s not just embarrassing; it’s a national security disaster waiting to happen. We’ve dumped trillions into schools since the feds got their sticky fingers in education back in the 1970s, and what do we get? Kids who can’t sound out “cat” without guessing like it’s a lottery ticket. But here’s the kicker: This didn’t happen overnight. Literacy used to be our superpower, back when America was building empires instead of excuses. We’re diving deep into how we squandered billions, when the rot set in, and—most importantly—how we claw our way back before the next generation thinks TikTok is a textbook. Buckle up, patriots; it’s time to put America First and make reading great again.
The Shocking Stats: Half of Us Can’t Read This Headline Properly
You think I’m exaggerating? Think again. As of November 2025, 54 percent of adults are scraping by below sixth-grade literacy, with 21 percent flat-out illiterate in functional terms. Back in June, data showed average adult literacy scores tanked 12 points from 2017 to 2023, leaving 46 percent below proficiency. October brought more bad news: One in four young adults aged 16 to 24 is reading at the lowest levels, up from 16 percent in 2017 to 25 percent in 2023. And don’t get me started on the kids—November revelations peg 64 percent of fourth-graders as non-proficient readers. January 2025 hit hard too, with 40 percent of fourth-graders below basic reading levels, the worst since 2002. September capped it off: High school seniors’ reading scores hit rock bottom, lowest since 1992. These aren’t anomalies; they’re a pattern of failure that’s costing future earnings—kids today could earn 7.7 percent less over their lifetimes because of this mess. We’re talking billions in lost productivity, all while Johnny stares at words like they’re alien hieroglyphs.
America’s Literacy Legacy: From Colonial Champs to Modern Chumps
Flash back to the good old days, when America didn’t need bureaucrats to teach us our ABCs. In colonial times, literacy rates soared in New England and the mid-Atlantic, hitting highs where most folks could read the Bible or a broadsheet without breaking a sweat. By 1870, adult illiteracy was at 20 percent overall, with 80 percent among blacks fresh out of slavery—but even then, we were climbing fast. Come 1875, the national rate flipped to 80 percent literate, thanks to local schools and a culture that prized self-reliance. By 1900, illiteracy dropped to 10.7 percent, and it kept plummeting: 7.7 percent in 1910, 6 percent in 1920, down to 4.3 percent by 1930. The 1940s saw it at 4 percent, dipping to 2.9 percent in 1950 and 2.4 percent in 1960. By 1970, it was a measly 1 percent, and 1979 marked the peak—basic literacy at 99 percent. We were a nation of readers, inventors, and doers, building the greatest economy on Earth without federal overlords micromanaging every chalkboard.
The Turning Point: When the Wheels Came Off in the 1970s
So when did it all go to hell? Pin it on the late 1970s, right around when Jimmy Carter birthed the Department of Education in 1979. That’s when the feds muscled in, centralizing what used to be local and effective. Literacy rates held steady at first, but cracks showed by the 1990s—reading scores for high schoolers started sliding in 1992, never to recover. The mid-2010s marked the real nosedive: American kids’ literacy peaked around then and has been freefalling ever since. By 2017, the rot was evident, with declines accelerating through 2023. Blame the shift from proven phonics—sounding out words like sensible people—to trendy “whole language” nonsense, where kids guess from pictures like it’s a bad game show. Throw in the pandemic shutdowns of 2020-2021, which hammered disadvantaged kids hardest, and you’ve got a perfect storm. We went from a literate powerhouse to a nation where functional illiteracy is the new normal, all while pretending progressivism in education was progress.
Billions Blown: Trillions Down the Drain, Zero Gains
Now, the outrage: We’ve thrown money at this like it’s confetti at a victory parade, but the parade never showed. In 2023 alone, public schools gulped down $946.5 billion—nearly a trillion bucks, up 35 percent from 2002. Per-pupil spending hits $17,000 on average, with states like New York shelling out $36,976 per kid. Federally, we’re talking $119.1 billion, or $2,400 per student, plus states kicking in $383.9 billion. And for what? Reading proficiency flatlined, math scores dipped, and literacy keeps tanking. Studies scream that smart spending boosts outcomes—a 10 percent hike could lift graduation rates by 2.1 to 4.4 points and test scores by 0.05 to 0.09 standard deviations—but our cash vanishes into admin bloat, union perks, and failed fads. Trillions since the 1970s, and we’re worse off. It’s not underfunding; it’s misfunding, courtesy of a system that puts bureaucrats over basics.
The Culprits: Poverty, Guessing Games, and Gutless Standards
How did we get here? Start with poverty—nearly 80 percent of low-literacy adults are stuck in it, a vicious cycle where poor parents pass on the struggle, with no books at home and zero emphasis on reading. Schools ditched phonics for “balanced literacy” or whole-word guessing, turning reading into a crapshoot that fails kids from the jump. Pandemic remote learning widened gaps, especially for the vulnerable. Teacher shortages mean unqualified warm bodies in classrooms, while low expectations let everyone slide through with diplomas that mean squat. Add economic hits—illiteracy costs us $2.2 trillion yearly in lost productivity—and you’ve got a recipe for decline. It’s not rocket science; it’s negligence, fueled by ideologues who prioritize feelings over fundamentals.
Reversing the Rot: Phonics First, America Strong
Enough whining—time to fix it, America First style. Ditch the guessing games and mandate phonics nationwide; it’s proven to build reading basics fast. Invest in Tier 1 programs that hit every kid with evidence-based instruction, building decodable text libraries so they practice what works. Monitor progress relentlessly—regular assessments to catch slips early. Enforce work requirements? Nah, enforce reading requirements, starting at home: Parents, read daily, jot thoughts, make it a habit. Leverage tech—adaptive apps that engage without dumbing down. Volunteers, step up: Tutor at libraries or adult ed centers; one-on-one changes lives. For the big picture, slash admin fat, redirect billions to classrooms, and demand excellence—no more social promotion. States leading with phonics reforms are seeing gains; scale it up, and watch literacy soar. It’s simple: Basics over bureaucracy, and we’ll snap back stronger.
Wake Up and Read: America’s Future Depends on It
This literacy fiasco isn’t just sad; it’s sabotage, bleeding our nation dry while elites pat themselves on the back. From colonial highs to 1970s peaks, we owned reading—until feds and fads wrecked it. Billions wasted, kids failed, but reversal’s within reach: Phonics, accountability, and a boot to the butt of complacency. Put America First, demand better, and watch us rise. Johnny can read again—if we make the swamp pay for its sins. Let’s get to it, before the next revelation hits even harder.