TEXAS — School is out, and kids across Texas are enjoying summer vacation. But for students like Harper Gamboa, there is still a bit of work.

“I read a little bit,” said Harper. “I kind of have to.”

To keep her mind sharp during the summer, Harper and other students at Hutto Independent School District head to the school’s Reading Bus.

The program is entering its fourth year, where school leaders, like parent and family engagement specialist Stephen Balderas, bring donated books directly to students for free.

Harper says her parents enjoy the opportunity for her to take a break from devices, and she enjoys the literary escape as well.

“It’s really fun to get to see the pictures in your head whenever you’re reading books like these,” she said. “It’s really fun to take a break from the world.”

Hutto ISD officials also have noticed the educational benefits that summer reading has on children.

“We’d go to the local pools and parks, take books, make connections with families, but at the same time, keep up our reading fluency for our students over the summer,” Balderas said.

Summer, according to Balderas and other education experts, is a time where students often ease up on their reading skills. The break in reading, according to Gabe Grantham from Texas 2036, may contribute to the less-than-ideal state test scores middle and high schoolers received in spring 2025.

“They’ve just had a year’s worth of learning,” said Grantham, a policy adviser for Texas 2036. “And a lot of times we can see declines in performance over the summer.”

The decline is reflected in the recent scores students received in this year’s State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) exams.

Students in sixth and seventh grade taking the reading and language arts exam saw no change in the number of passing scores from last year to this year. Sixth graders remained at 54%, and seventh graders stayed at 52%.

High schoolers who took the English 1 and English 2 exams saw a decrease in passing scores. English 1 saw a 3% drop this year, and English 2 saw a 4% drop.

Third through fifth graders saw an increase in reading scores, which Grantham says could be a result of legislative changes this past session.

“There was [sic] a ton of investments in early numeracy and literacy to ensure that those students in K-3 are set up for success and on grade level by the time they take that first state assessment in third grade,” Grantham said.

However, he says that investment isn’t seen enough for middle and high school students.

“We have to, as a state, invest more heavily in middle school and figure out how do we make sure that every student is able to pursue their passions and their interests in high school and beyond with a firm and strong academic foundation,” he said.

A program like Hutto ISD’s Reading Ready Bus Tour might just be the solution that educators and experts are seeking.

“Not only do they not lose a grade level by not reading in the summer, sometimes they can even gain some of their reading fluency and literacy,” Balderas said.

For Harper, reading 20 books during the summer has been paying off.

“I’m in fifth grade. I think I’m at a seventh grade reading level,” she said.

Her advice for any kid steering clear of books during summer break — start small.

“It doesn’t have to be a long chapter book like everyone else. It can just be a short little book, but it really is good to read during the summer, so you don’t forget all of it,” Harper said.