COPPERAS COVE, TX — Around 200 students are building their reading skills in Copperas Cove ISD. Ranger Reading Camp kicked off for students on Wednesday.
CCISD hosts the camp each summer for military-connected students and students with a need for literacy education.
The three-week camp is funded by a grant from the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA).
"I can tell you that this grant is $1.5 million. It was awarded in 2016 for five years and so it will run for five years. And not only does it cover literacy achievement for two of our elementary schools, it covers social and emotional support for four of our elementary schools and two of our junior highs," said Heather Peacock, grant director for the Department of Defense Education Agency number 2 grant for CCISD.
Over the last two years, the district lost $12 million in federal impact aid. District officials shared these grants are a big help.
Peacock added, most kids lose about two months of reading achievement during the summer. That's because when they leave school, a lot of them do not practice those skills during the summer months.
Organizers said the camp has been quite a success and students have already increased 3 percentage points on the STAAR reading test.
In addition, each year they have also seen around a 10 percent increase in reading enjoyment.
