According to a new report there is good news and bad news about the skill level of immigrants, and Americans in general.
The good news is immigrants coming to the United States are just as smart as Americans on average.
The bad news is almost one-fifth of all U.S. adults would likely struggle to comprehend this article.
The news comes from a recent report by the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) that explores test results on the literacy, numeracy (ability to access, use, interpret, and communicate mathematical information), and problem-solving skills of some 5,000 U.S. adults participating in the 2012 Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), a study conducted by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).
PIAAC results show immigrants arrive in the United States with significantly lower English, math, and problem-solving skills than those of the American-born population.
Yet when looking at immigrants educated in the United States, or children of immigrants, the gap in the test results disappears. That would suggest that, in general, immigrants are just as smart as Americans, if given the education.
