This report presents the findings and recommendations of the Youth Literacy Task Force of New York City. Included in the report are the following: a brief description of the Task Force's activities; a description of what the Task Force decided were appropriate and feasible effectiveness criteria for literacy programs for 14-21 year olds; a list of what the Task Force saw as the essential components of literacy programs that could meet these criteria; an analysis of the availability of appropriate literacy services; and recommendations on ways the city can begin to meet the problem within existing fiscal and institutional contraints. Recommended are: (1) the development of 10 in-school reading academies, each capable of enrolling 200 students; (2) the development of 6 pilot employment training centers in which literacy and employment skills are taught in an integrated manner; (3) the expansion of supplemental or part-time evening programs such as adult education centers to enable them to incorporate an additional 1,000 18-21 year olds; and (4) the establishment of a technical assistance corporation to provide a range of support services to the three program prototypes indicated above as well as to many smaller-scale literacy programs run by community-based agencies throughout the city. Listed in appendices are the membership of the Task Force, programs visited by the Task Force, and the methodology used for computing the number of illiterate 14-21 year olds in New York City. (CMG)