Despite these levels of educational attainment, research shows that many people read three to five grades lower than their highest grade level. Thus, it's not unusual for someone with a high school diploma to read at a 7th to 9th grade reading level. One of the factors involved in readability is the number of words per sentence. Research suggests that to be easily understood, documents should average about 15-20 words per sentence. The following table shows the results of my readability analyses of the 17 GLB privacy policies.
Many states have readability requirements for insurance policies sold within the state.
For example, Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio require a minimum score of 40 on the Flesch Reading Ease. Only 4 of the 17 notices reviewed would have met that requirement. Connecticut and Florida require a minimum of 45 on the Flesch, and Maine requires a 50. None of the notices would have met those state requirements. Across all age groups, people 65 and older have the lowest literacy scores, with an average educational attainment between 11th and 12th grade.