Median Grade Level Achieved by Inmates Tested Was 7.3
(As of June 30, 2004)

Periodically inmates are tested to determine their educational grade level in the form of a school grade level. The table on the right shows the grade levels for the most recent TABE scores of the inmate prison population on June 30, 2004, which is the last day of the fiscal year. Inmates with unavailable data were not included in the analysis.

• Of all scores analyzed, the median test score (half the scores were above and half were below this score) was 7.3, compared with 6.4 for inmates who were admitted to prison in FY 2003-04.
  
  
• The tested grade level achieved most often (13.3%) was the twelfth grade, compared to a tested grade level of fifth grade (13.5%) for inmates admitted in FY 2003-04.
  
  

Tested Education Grade Level (Most Recent Tests of Adult Basic Education [TABE] Scores as of June 30, 2004)
Grade Level	Males	Females	Total	Percent	Cumulative Percent
1	1,570	58	1,628	2.1%	2.1%
2	4,972	308	5,280	7.0%	9.1%
3	6,213	392	6,605	8.7%	17.8%
4	5,408	358	5,766	7.6%	25.4%
5	8,135	550	8,685	11.5%	36.9%
6	7,780	583	8,363	11.0%	47.9%
7	5,031	370	5,401	7.1%	55.1%
8	4,958	371	5,329	7.0%	62.1%
9	8,181	610	8,791	11.6%	73.7%
10	3,770	275	4,045	5.3%	79.1%
11	5,288	491	5,779	7.6%	86.7%
12	9,324	769	10,093	13.3%	100.0%
Missing	6,045	164	6,209
Total	76,675	5,299	81,974	100.0%	100.0%
Median	7	8	7

The table below groups the grade levels of the June 30, 2004 prison population into three different categories: basic literacy, functional literacy, or GED Prep. Again, inmates with unavailable data were not included in the analysis.

• Six of every ten inmates who were tested on June 30, 2004 (62.1%) had not achieved GED Prep literacy skills (scored less than the ninth grade level).
  
  
• Almost thirty-eight percent (37.9%) had GED Prep literacy skills (ninth grade literacy skills or better).

Tested Literacy Skill Levels (Most Recent Tests of Adult Basic Education [TABE] Scores as of June 30, 2004)
Literacy Skill Level	White Males	White Females	Black Males	Black Females	Other Males	Other Females	Total	Percent	Cumulative Percent
Basic Literacy (1.0-4.9)	4,583	273	13,028	777	552	66	19,279	25.4%	25.4%
Functional Literacy (5.0-8.9)	9,696	833	15,598	961	610	80	27,778	36.7%	62.1%
GED Prep (9.0-12.9)	16,642	1,536	9,397	525	524	84	28,708	37.9%	100.0%
Data Unavailable	3,281	91	2,236	50	528	23	6,209
Total	34,202	2,733	40,259	2,313	2,214	253	81,974	100.0%	100.0%
Median	9.4	9.7	6.1	6.0	6.3	6.6	7.3