Appalachian Learning Initiative
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Appalachian Learning Initiative
@appli.org
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The Appalachian Learning Initiative (APPLI, like “apply”) is a Morgantown, WV-based 501(c)(3) non-profit that conducts research on, reports data about, and advocates for issues impacting adults living in the Appalachian Region.

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Appalachian Learning Initiative @appli.org · May 13
#DidYouKnow

Nearly 2 out of 3 adults (65.1%) living in the #AppalachianRegion #Read at or below an 8th grade level, including nearly 1 out of 4 (23.9%) who read below a 3rd grade level.

We're growing our #Appalachian #AdultEducation database, and could use your help.

cutt.ly/APPLI-Adult-...
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The image is a map of various counties within the Appalachian region of the United States, including sections of states such as Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and others up to New York. Counties are color-coded based on the percentage of adult literacy, with a focus on adults reading at or below the 8th-grade level. The color gradient ranges from red (indicating higher percentages of low literacy, up to 88.1%) to green (indicating lower percentages, at 36.5%). A color key on the right side accompanies the map, clarifying the percentage range each color represents. The map background is a simple gray outline of the United States, focusing on the Appalachian region. At the bottom, there is the logo of the Appalachian Learning Initiative along with contact information and social media icons. The data source is marked as the National Center for Education Statistics, 2020. The image features an artistic sunset landscape with a warm color palette of oranges, browns, and yellows. In the foreground, a large conifer tree stands silhouetted against the sky. The background shows rolling hills fading into the distance with the sun setting near the horizon, casting a soft glow. Birds are silhouetted flying in the sky. The scene is overlaid with bold white text promoting a survey related to adult education services in Appalachia. The bottom left corner displays the APPLI logo, and a QR code is adjacent to the survey link. The bottom right corner features "Follow us" followed by social media icons. The image features a multicolored map of the Appalachian region outlined by state borders on a gradient background transitioning from blue on the left to orange on the right. The map highlights specific counties within the region, each shaded in various colors including blue, red, orange, and beige. To the left is large white text stating, "Help Us Build the Appalachian Adult Education Directory." Below the map is a white link in large font: "https://cutt.ly/APPLI-Adult-Ed-Survey." The bottom left displays the logo of the Appalachian Learning Initiative with the website, "www.appli.org." In the bottom right corner, there is text reading, "Follow us @APPLIORG," accompanied by icons for social media platforms: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube, along with a QR code.
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Cattaraugus County, #NewYork, has the lowest #AdultNumeracy rate among the state's #Appalachian counties, with nearly 7 out of every 10 adults (69.8%) struggling to solve #Math problems with more than three steps.

Learn more on our website:

https://www.appli.org/new-york
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Cattaraugus County, New York" (Population: 75,600) featuring a county map and key stats: 71% of adults struggle with basic math, 17.6% live in extreme poverty, 10.7% spend at least 50% of their income on housing, and 6.3% lack health insurance. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 18, 2026 at 6:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Noxubee County, #Mississippi, has the lowest #AdultNumeracy rate among the state's #Appalachian counties, with nearly 7 out of every 10 adults (69.8%) struggling to solve #Math problems with more than three steps.

Learn more on our website:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Noxubee County, Mississippi" (Population: 9,914) featuring a county map and key stats: 88.4% of adults struggle with basic math, 32.4% rely on SNAP for nutrition assistance, 25.6% live in extreme poverty, and 19% spend at least 50% of their income on housing. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 18, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Delaware County, #NewYork, has the 2nd-lowest #AdultNumeracy rate among the state's #Appalachian counties, with nearly 7 out of every 10 adults (69.8%) struggling to solve #Math problems with more than three steps.

Learn more on our website:

https://www.appli.org/new-york
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Delaware County, New York" (Population: 44,410) featuring a county map and key stats: 69.8% of adults struggle with basic math, 14.9% live in extreme poverty, 13.8% spend at least 50% of their income on housing, and 4.6% lack health insurance. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 17, 2026 at 6:01 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Marshall County, #Mississippi, has the 2nd-lowest #AdultNumeracy rate among the state's #Appalachian counties, with nearly 9 out of every 10 adults (87.8%) struggling to solve #Math problems with more than three steps.

Learn more on our website:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Marshall County, Mississippi" (Population: 34,123) featuring a county map and key stats: 87.8% of adults struggle with basic math, 22.8% live in extreme poverty, 14.8% spend at least 50% of their income on housing, and 11.5% rely on SNAP for nutrition assistance. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 17, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Allegany County, #NewYork, has the 3rd-lowest #AdultNumeracy rate among the state's #Appalachian counties, with more than 2 out of every 3 adults (69.4%) struggling to solve #Math problems with more than three steps.

Learn more on our website:

https://www.appli.org/new-york
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Allegany County, New York" (Population: 46,651) featuring a county map and key stats: 69.4% struggle with basic math, 16.7% live in extreme poverty, 10.2% spend at least 50% of their income on housing, and 4.9% lack health insurance. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 16, 2026 at 6:01 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Panola County, #Mississippi, has the 3rd-lowest #AdultNumeracy rate among the state's #Appalachian counties, with more than 8 in 10 adults (85.3%) struggling to solve #Math problems with more than three steps.

Learn more on our website:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Panola County, Mississippi" (Population: 32,669) featuring a county map and key stats: 85.3% of adults struggle with basic math, 24.1% live in extreme poverty, 15.6% rely on SNAP for Nutrition Assistance, and 12.1% spend at least 50% of their income on housing. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 16, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow?

In 8 of #NewYork's 14 #Appalachian counties, more than 2 out of every 3 adults struggle to solve math problems with more than three steps.

Learn more on our website:

https://www.appli.org/new-york

#AdultNumeracy
#Numeracy
#AdultEducation
#AdultBasicEducation
Square educational graphic titled "Percentage of Appalachian Adults in New York Who Struggle with Basic Math," created by APPLI. Features a state outline map highlighting Southern Tier Appalachian counties colored along a gradient scale from green (0%) to red (100%), with counties like Tompkins shown in yellow and Delaware shown in orange-red. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 15, 2026 at 6:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow?

In all but 2 of #Mississippi's 24 #Appalachian counties, more than 2 out of every 3 adults struggle to solve math problems with more than three steps.

Learn more on our website:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi

#AdultNumeracy
#Numeracy
#Mathematics
#AdultEducation
Square educational graphic titled "Percentage of Appalachian Adults in Mississippi Who Struggle with Basic Math," created by the Appalachian Learning Initiative (APPLI). Features a color-coded map of Mississippi's Appalachian counties ranging from green (62.8%) to red (88.4%), with high-rate counties like Marshall and Noxubee highlighted in deep red. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 15, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
Did You Know?

Nearly 2 out of every 3 adults (65.8%) living in #NewYork's #Appalachian counties struggle to solve basic math problems with more than three steps.

Please like, subscribe, & share our posts!

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/new-york
Square educational graphic by APPLI featuring an orange silhouette map of New York state against a dark blue background. The text highlights that "Nearly 2 out of 3 adults living in New York's Appalachian Counties struggle with basic math." Graphic elements include five figure icons (three highlighted in white, two dark blue) and the tagline "APPLI is building solutions." Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 14, 2026 at 6:00 PM
appli.org
Did You Know?

More than 3 out of every 4 adults (77.6%) living in #Mississippi's #Appalachian counties struggle to solve basic math problems with more than three steps.

Please like, subscribe, & share our posts!

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi
Square educational graphic by APPLI featuring a maroon silhouette map of Mississippi against a light grey background. The text highlights that "More than 3 out of 4 adults living in Mississippi's Appalachian Counties struggle with basic math." Graphic elements include five figure icons (nearly four highlighted in white, one dark grey) and the tagline "APPLI is building solutions." Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 14, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow?

In 8 of #NewYork's 14 #Appalachian counties, more than 2 out of every 3 adults struggle to solve math problems with more than three steps.

Learn more on our website:

https://www.appli.org/new-york

#AdultNumeracy
#Numeracy
#AdultEducation
#AdultBasicEducation
Square educational graphic titled "Percentage of Appalachian Adults in New York Who Struggle with Basic Math," created by APPLI. Features a state outline map highlighting Southern Tier Appalachian counties colored along a gradient scale from green (0%) to red (100%), with counties like Tompkins shown in yellow and Delaware shown in orange-red. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 8, 2026 at 6:30 PM
appli.org
Did You Know?

Nearly 2 out of every 3 adults (65.8%) living in #NewYork's #Appalachian counties struggle to solve basic math problems with more than three steps.

Please like, subscribe, & share our posts!

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/new-york
Square educational graphic by APPLI featuring an orange silhouette map of New York state against a dark blue background. The text highlights that "Nearly 2 out of 3 adults living in New York's Appalachian Counties struggle with basic math." Graphic elements include five figure icons (three highlighted in white, two dark blue) and the tagline "APPLI is building solutions." Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 8, 2026 at 6:01 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow?

In all but 2 of #Mississippi's 24 #Appalachian counties, more than 2 out of every 3 adults struggle to solve math problems with more than three steps.

Learn more on our website:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi

#AdultNumeracy
#Numeracy
#AdultEducation
#AdultBasicEducation
Square educational graphic titled "Percentage of Appalachian Adults in Mississippi Who Struggle with Basic Math," created by the Appalachian Learning Initiative (APPLI). Features a color-coded map of Mississippi's Appalachian counties ranging from green (62.8%) to red (88.4%), with high-rate counties like Marshall and Noxubee highlighted in deep red. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 8, 2026 at 5:30 PM
appli.org
Did You Know?

More than 3 out of every 4 adults (77.6%) living in #Mississippi's #Appalachian counties struggle to solve basic math problems with more than three steps.

Please like, subscribe, & share our posts!

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi
Square educational graphic by APPLI featuring a maroon silhouette map of Mississippi against a light grey background. The text highlights that "More than 3 out of 4 adults living in Mississippi's Appalachian Counties struggle with basic math." Graphic elements include five figure icons (nearly four highlighted in white, one dark grey) and the tagline "APPLI is building solutions." Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Cattaraugus County, #NewYork, has the lowest rate of #AdultLiteracy among the state's #Appalachian counties, with nearly 6 out of every 10 adults (59.8%) reading at or below an 8th Grade level.

Learn more about adult literacy & other statistics in #NY:

https://www.appli.org/new-york
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Cattaraugus County, New York" (Population: 75,600) featuring a county map and key stats: 59.8% of adults read at or below an 8th-grade level, 27.4% earn below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level, 16.8% rely on SNAP for nutrition assistance, and 11% have not graduated high school. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 4, 2026 at 6:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Noxubee County, #Mississippi, has the lowest rate of #AdultLiteracy among the state's #Appalachian counties, with nearly 8 out of every 10 adults (86.1%) reading at or below an 8th Grade level.

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Noxubee County, Mississippi" (Population: 9,914) showing key stats: 86.1% of adults read at or below an 8th Grade level, 40.9% earn below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level, 20.8% lack a high school diploma, and 20% lack health insurance. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 4, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Delaware County, #NewYork, has the 2nd-lowest rate of #AdultLiteracy among the state's #Appalachian counties, with nearly 6 out of every 10 adults (59.2%) reading at or below an 8th Grade level.

Learn more about adult literacy & other statistics in #NY:

https://www.appli.org/new-york
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Delaware County, New York" (Population: 44,410) featuring a county map and key stats: 59.2% of adults read at or below an 8th-grade level, 25.1% earn below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level, 12.7% rely on SNAP for nutrition assistance, and 9.3% have not graduated high school. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 3, 2026 at 6:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Marshall County, #Mississippi, has the 2nd-lowest rate of #AdultLiteracy among the state's #Appalachian counties, with nearly 8 out of every 10 adults (78.5%) reading at or below an 8th Grade level.

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Marshall County, Mississippi" (Population: 34,123) showing key stats: 78.5% of adults read at or below an 8th Grade level, 37.8% earn below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level, 17.9% lack a high school diploma, and 11.7% lack health insurance. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Chenango County, #NewYork, has the 3rd-lowest rate of #AdultLiteracy among the state's #Appalachian counties, with nearly 6 out of every 10 adults (58.6%) reading at or below an 8th Grade level.

Learn more about adult literacy & other statistics in #NY:

https://www.appli.org/new-york
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Chenango County, New York" (Population: 45,920) featuring a county map and key stats: 58.6% of adults read at or below an 8th-grade level, 22.4% earn below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level, 14.8% rely on SNAP for nutrition assistance, and 11.9% have not graduated high school. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 2, 2026 at 6:01 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow

Chickasaw County, #Mississippi, has the 3rd-lowest rate of #AdultLiteracy among the state's #Appalachian counties, with nearly 8 out of every 10 adults (77.8%) reading at or below an 8th Grade level.

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi
Square infographic by APPLI titled "Chickasaw County, Mississippi" (Population: 16,866) showing key stats: 77.8% of adults read at or below an 8th Grade level, 36.9% earn below 150% of the Federal Poverty Level, 18% lack a high school diploma, and 11% lack health insurance. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 2, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow?

More than half of adults living in 13 of #NewYork's 14 #Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th Grade.

Chenango, Delaware, & Cattaraugus Counties have the lowest rates of #AdultLiteracy proficiency in the region.

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/new-york
Square infographic graphic by APPLI titled "Percentage of Appalachian Adults in New York Who Read At or Below an 8th Grade Level". Features a green-to-red gradient map showing county literacy rates across New York's Appalachian southern tier. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 1, 2026 at 6:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow?

More than 2 out of 3 adults living in 18 of #Mississippi's 24 #Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th Grade.

Chickasaw, Marshall, & Noxubee Counties have the lowest rates of #AdultLiteracy proficiency in the region.

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi
Square infographic graphic by APPLI titled "Percentage of Appalachian Adults in Mississippi Who Read At or Below an 8th Grade Level". Features a green-to-red gradient map showing county literacy rates across Mississippi's Appalachian region ranging from 54.6% to 86.1%. Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
September 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
Did You Know?

~55% of adults living in #NewYork's #Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th Grade level, meaning more than half of adults have trouble reading, understanding, and following written instructions and forms.

Please like & share!

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/new-york
Square social media graphic by APPLI titled "Appalachian Learning Initiative" featuring a blue silhouette map of New York with stick-figure pictograms. It states that more than half of adults living in New York's Appalachian counties read below an 8th Grade level, adding "APPLI is building solutions." Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
August 31, 2026 at 6:00 PM
appli.org
Did You Know?

~70% of adults living in #Mississippi's #Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th Grade level, meaning that nearly 3 out of every 4 adults have trouble reading, understanding, and following written instructions and forms.

Learn more:

https://www.appli.org/mississippi
Square social media graphic by APPLI titled "Appalachian Learning Initiative" featuring a red silhouette map of Mississippi with stick-figure pictograms. It states that nearly 3 out of 4 adults living in Mississippi's Appalachian counties read at or below an 8th Grade level, adding "APPLI is building solutions." Source: National Center for Education Statistics, 2020.
August 31, 2026 at 5:00 PM
appli.org
#DidYouKnow?

Nearly 3 in 4 #Bridges (71.6%) in #Appalachian #Maryland are in "Fair" or "Poor" quality.

More than 1 in 6 #Renters (17.1%) does not have a vehicle.

All of #MD's 3 Appalachian counties are served by at least one #PublicTransportation company.

Learn more:

www.appli.org/maryland
Infographic by APPLI titled "Transportation in Maryland" featuring a steam train traveling through scenic green hills and key statistics: 71.6% of bridges in Appalachian Maryland are listed as "Fair" or "Poor" quality (vs. 55.8% nationally), 17.1% of renter-occupied households have no personal vehicles (vs. 3.1% of homeowning households), and all 3 Appalachian counties in Maryland are served by at least one public transportation company. Source: ACS, 2024, APTA, 2025, & USDOT, 2024. Infographic map by APPLI titled "Bridge Conditions in Maryland" stating nearly 3 out of every 4 bridges (71.6%) in Maryland's Appalachian counties are classified as being in either "Fair" or "Poor" condition. Features a purple gradient showing county rates: Allegany (63.3%), Washington (71.7%), and Garrett (79.9%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024. Infographic map by APPLI titled "Households Without Personal Vehicles in Maryland" stating nearly 1 out of every 14 households (7.4%) in Maryland's Appalachian counties lacks a personal vehicle, such as a car or truck. Features a yellow-to-purple gradient showing county rates: Garrett (4.0%), Washington (7.4%), and Allegany (9.6%). Source: American Community Survey, 2024.
August 28, 2026 at 6:00 PM