The Suncoast Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, a regional movement that works to close achievement gaps, end intergenerational poverty and reduce high school dropout rates by ensuring that children are able to read proficiently by the end of third grade, recently expanded to DeSoto County. The Suncoast Campaign, part of the nationwide Campaign for Grade-Level Reading, previously worked just in Sarasota, Manatee and Charlotte counties. According to state metrics from last year, 29 percent of students in DeSoto County can read at grade level when leaving third grade. By joining the Suncoast Campaign, the county will work to increase third-grade reading proficiency by focusing on school readiness, school attendance and summer learning.