Florida Department of Corrections
Michael D. Crews, Secretary

Inmates Test at Around the
Sixth Grade Level; 70% Below
GED Prep Level

When inmates come into prison, they are tested to determine their educational level in the form of a school grade level. The table on the right lists the grade levels indicated by the TABE (Tests of Adult Basic Education) scores of those inmates admitted into prison during the FY 2001-02. Inmates with unavailable data were not included in the analysis.

• Of all the scores analyzed, the median test score (half the scores were above and half were below this score) was 6.4.
  
  
• The tested grade level achieved most often (13.5%) was the 5th grade.

Tested Education Grade Level at Admission (FIRST TESTS OF ADULT BASIC EDUCATION [TABE] SCORES FOR FY 2001-02)
Grade Level	Male	Female	Total	Percent	Cumulative Percent
1	382	33	415	1.8%	1.8%
2	1,574	157	1,731	7.4%	9.1%
3	2,036	249	2,285	9.7%	18.8%
4	1,807	191	1,998	8.5%	27.3%
5	2,843	321	3,164	13.5%	40.8%
6	2,638	320	2,958	12.6%	53.4%
7	1,574	174	1,748	7.4%	60.8%
8	1,429	148	1,577	6.7%	67.5%
9	2,103	247	2,350	10.0%	77.5%
10	733	90	823	3.5%	81.0%
11	1,449	144	1,593	6.8%	87.8%
12	2,638	236	2,874	12.2%	100.0%
Data Unavailable	2,357	176	2,533
TOTAL	23,563	2,486	26,049	100.0%	100.0%
Median	6.4	6.4	6.4

The table below groups the grade levels of the inmates admitted during the 2001-02 fiscal year into three different categories -- basic literacy, functional literacy, and GED Prep skills. Again, inmates with unavailable data were not included in the analysis.

• Almost 70 percent had less than GED Prep skills (less than 9.0 grade level).
  
  
• Forty percent of the inmates were classified as having functional literacy skills (5.0 to 8.9 grade levels).

Tested Literacy Skill Levels at Admission (FIRST TESTS OF ADULT BASIC EDUCATION [TABE] FOR FY 2001-02)
Literacy Skill	White Males	White Females	Black Males	Black Females	Other Males	Other Females	Total	Percent	Cumulative Percent
Beginning Basic Literacy (1.0 - 4.9)	1,527	154	4,188	447	84	29	6,429	27.3%	27.3%
Functional Literacy (5.0 - 8.9)	3,584	480	4,786	448	114	35	9,447	40.2%	67.5%
GED Prep (9.0 - 12.9)	4,774	523	2,066	169	83	25	7,640	32.5%	100.0%
Data Unavailable	1,200	76	1,028	79	129	21	2,533
TOTAL	11,085	1,233	12,068	1,143	410	110	26,049	100.0%	100.0%
Median	8.6	8.2	5.7	5.4	6.3	6.3	6.4