Media statements and pronouncements by leaders in various sectors throughout the nation confirm that literacy still means the ability to work with the printed or written word. It is also evident that the term literacy includes more than reading. Literacy encompasses writing, speaking and listening, computing, and even problem-solving skills. Because the context of the United States is more complex and more technologically advanced than most other areas throughout the world, our popular notion of literacy includes a higher standard than that used anywhere else. Although it is true that the contexts in which Americans live vary widely, the evolving popular notion of literacy does include a set of shared contexts. In each of these, Americans are confronted with a series of tasks demanding a mastery of basic skills. Saying that literacy is a national priority is equivalent to saying that Americans must acquire the competence and knowledge to face the tasks confronting them in the contexts of their roles as family member or parent, producer or consumer, and citizen. The competencies required in today's uncertain world go beyond literacy or the basic skills and include discernment, reflection, risk taking, and being open to new perspectives. (MN)