CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP)--According to the National Literacy Institute, 21% of adults in the United States were illiterate in 2024. The COVID-19 pandemic caused a disruption to learning, including reading. Schools across the country are working to help those students who fell behind to get up to gr ade-appropriate reading levels. Massachusetts officials to support literacy in underfunded districts at Holyoke event Literacy is more than just learning to read, it also encompasses writing, speaking and listening effectively; retention, interpretation, and comprehension; and communicating effectively. It is essential for making informed decisions in all aspects of our lives. This week on 22News InFocus, we're going to be discussing what's being done in our region to improve literacy for both children and adults. Our guests will be representatives from the Western Mass Literacy Collaborative and Parent Villages. Watch 22News InFocus this Sunday at noon. If you miss any of the program, you can find it in its entirety here on WWLP.com. Local News Headlines Undocumented Ecuadoran charged with over 20 child sex crimes in Mass. InFocus: Literacy improvement programs South Hadley police searching for missing cognitively impaired woman Pittsfield to begin street improvement project WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on WWLP.com. ...read more read less