The Cleveland Cavaliers care about their young fans’ futures, and are partnering with educational technology company Rhymes With Reason to make a positive impact on young students for a 4th year.

Rhymes With Reason is an edtech app that elevates students’ vocabulary, reading levels, and confidence through the power of music. Now, thanks to the Cavs, 500 Cleveland-area students will have access to the effective, award-winning program in the 2026 - 2027 school year.

Students at Barack Obama Elementary will have the opportunity to earn prizes and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities with the Cavs as they earn achievement badges in Rhymes with Reason’s literacy learning modules. 

Rhymes with Reason is a Black-owned educational technology program utilized in over 300 schools across the country. We make a difference alongside high profile organizations including Chance the Rapper’s SocialWorks, The Los Angeles Chargers Impact Fund, The City of Detroit’s Grow Detroit Young Talent and San Diego’s Founders First Capital Partners CDC.

The program's culturally-relevant, music-powered approach to closing the vocabulary and reading gap serves as a refreshing learning experience for youth in grades 2 through 12.

Students who participated in Rhymes With Reason in the Maple Heights School District in Cleveland, OH, achieved a 16-point gain in scaled score on the vocabulary section of the iReady benchmark assessment for reading, on average, compared to a 7-point gain for those who did not use Rhymes with Reason.

"We’re seeing a huge improvement in both the reading and writing ability of the students who are using Rhymes with Reason. I see them using new words in essays and assignments. When I ask students where they’re learning these words, they tell me it’s through music and the Rhymes with Reason programming."

- Jessica Jason
7th Gradde Intervention Specialist, Milkovich Middle School

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