Inmates Tested at Around the 6th Grade 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 FY 2006-07. 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 6.2.
  
  

Testing Education Grade Level at Admission (First Tests of Adult Basic Education [TABE] Scores for FY 2006-07)
Grade Level	Male	Female	Total	Percent	Cumulative Percent
1-5	13,814	1,494	15,308	46.7%	46.7%
6	3,653	539	4,192	12.8%	59.5%
7	1,834	304	2,138	6.5%	66.0%
8	1,607	287	1,894	5.8%	71.8%
9	3,009	536	3,545	10.8%	82.6%
10	707	126	833	2.5%	85.2%
11	1,475	294	1,769	5.4%	90.6%
12	2,523	569	3,092	9.4%	100.0%
Data Unavailable	4,834	259	5,093
Total	33,456	4,408	37,864	100.0%	100.0%
Median	6.1	7.2	6.2

The table below groups the grade levels of the inmates admitted during FY 2006-07 into three different categories - basic literacy, functional literacy, and GED Prep skills. Again, inmates with unavailable data were not included in the analysis.

• 72.0% had less than GED Prep skills (less than 9.0 grade level).
  
  
• One quarter of the inmates were classified as having functional literacy skills (6.0 to 8.9 grade levels).

Tested Literacy Skill Levels at Admission (First Tests of Adult Basic Education [TABE] for FY 2006-07)
Literary Skill Level	White Males	White Females	Black Males	Black Females	Other Males	Other Females	Total	Percent	Cumulative Percent
Basic Literacy (1.0 to 5.9)	4,957	655	8,461	794	396	45	15,308	46.7%	46.7%
Functional Literacy (6.0 to 8.9)	3,640	719	3,305	386	149	25	8,224	25.1%	71.8%
GED Prep (9.0 to 12.9)	5,329	1,254	2,222	247	163	24	9,239	28.2%	100.0%
Data Unavailable	2,232	158	2,181	94	421	7	5,093
TOTAL	16,158	2,786	16,169	1,521	1,129	101	37,864	100.0%	100.0%
MEDIAN	7.3	8.4	5.4	5.7	5.5	6.3	6.2