A new study reveals one in seven adults have such low literacy skills they can barely read a children's book. The results show little improvement in adult literacy since 1992.

In spite of advances to technology and education, the study by the National Assessment of Adult Literacy finds, overall, the nation hasn't made a dent in its adult literacy program. Between 1992 and 2003, it finds, the USA added about 23 million adults to its population; in that period, an estimated 3.6 million more joined the ranks of adults with low literacy skills.

In many cases, states have made huge strides.

For example, in Mississippi, the percentage of adults with low skills dropped nine percentage points, from 25% to 16%, in spite of an estimated 8.7% rise in adult population. In every one of its 82 counties, low skill rates dropped - in a few cases by 20 percentage points or more.

By contrast, in several large states - California, New York, Florida and Nevada, for instance - the number of adults with low skills rose, sometimes sharply. In California, it rose in all but three of 58 counties.

To look at individual state scores click here.