Wilson instructor highlights Literacy Council partnership; warns federal cuts could jeopardize services

Mrs. Casper, an adult English instructor working with the Wilson School District partnership, described the district’s work this year with the Literacy Council of Reading and Berks and said the collaboration served 32 adult learners from the Wilson community.

In a detailed public report she said the program provided classes, citizenship preparation, GED tutoring, and digital‑literacy training, and that roughly 20 of the adult students had children or other family members enrolled in Wilson schools. ‘‘This partnership continues to be only one of four in Berks County,’’ she said, describing the program as a resource for families and for workforce advancement.

Mrs. Casper also told the board that the 2026 proposed federal “skinny” budget includes a proposal to eliminate federal funding for adult education, a change she described as a significant threat to local services. She cited state investments in adult and family literacy and said more than 75% of local adult‑education programs rely on federal funds.

She described the district’s adult learners as a linguistically diverse population — with Spanish, French, Haitian Creole, Russian and Arabic among the languages represented — and thanked district staff and partners for supporting classes and classroom space. She also described using a phone app that allows language practice outside class and credited a colleague, Mr. Marquez, for demonstrating the app.

Why it matters: The Literacy Council partnership serves adult learners who are family members of K–12 students, and potential federal funding cuts could affect services that support both adults and district families.