Our Story
“Singing and learning together are
a powerhouse combo.”
~M.A. Rosko, Fox 9 News
Founded in 2014
“If kids can’t read, they can’t succeed.” This statement drove Bill Jones and Ann Kay to launch the Rock ‘n’ Read Project. Bill converted a retired city bus into a mobile reading lab with 32 computers and a singing-based software program, TUNEin to Reading. Bill drove the bus to a Minneapolis Public summer school and a YMCA where groups of children came on to sing and read daily. Children who sang with the program for 10 hours gained 1/2 year (avg.) in reading.
5-year state project
The MN Legislature awarded Rock ‘n’ Read $600,000 to implement TUNEin to Reading (TiR) singing-based program with 2500 students in 25 schools (2016-2021). Data confirmed existing research studies that found that students gained 1 year (avg.) in reading on the state test after 14 hours of usage. Rock ‘n’ Although we no longer implement TiR, it is available for home and school use from the company TUNEin to Reading.
Today
Rock ‘n’ Read Project uses singing and
music-making to grow young children’s
brains for reading.