We Shall Read
We Shall Read is a Farmington, Michigan 501(c)(3) non-profit that trains adults in its proprietary Brain Friendly Reading™ Orton-Gillingham based phonics program to serve as reading tutors and classroom educators for children, teens, and adults, including those with dyslexia and English language learners.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2021
- HeadquartersFarmington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What We Shall Read does
We Shall Read is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 2021 and headquartered in Farmington, Michigan, that trains adults to deliver structured literacy instruction to children and adults using its proprietary Brain Friendly Reading™ program. The program is Orton-Gillingham based, rooted in the science of reading, and employs a multi-sensory methodology (chart tapping, arm tapping, games) designed to be simple, flexible, and engaging for learners including those with dyslexia and English language learners. Core products include four training courses (BFR Level 1 foundational skills, Level 2 advanced skills, Level 3 for teens and adults, and Kindergarten/Preschool) plus the MentorMe! 30+ hour asynchronous job-skills training program that prepares adults to become certified reading tutors. Additional offerings include WSR Reading Interventionist certification, professional development workshops for schools, parent and dyslexia workshops, and an e-commerce shop for instructional materials.
The organization operates with a small team of 7 employees supported by facilitators and a board of directors, drawing revenue from training program fees (heavily grant-subsidized: MentorMe! reduced from $1,260 to $195), professional development contracts with schools, e-commerce material sales, individual donations, and grants. Since 2021, We Shall Read has awarded $347,000 in scholarships to MentorMe! trainees, trained over 1,000 individuals for at least 3 hours, seen 600+ complete the 30-hour program, and certified 80+ Reading Interventionists who operate independent tutoring businesses across Michigan and select other locations. Distribution occurs through website registration, in-person training at library and school partner sites, virtual live sessions, and a network of independent certified tutors, with marketing primarily via YouTube (We Shall Read and Brain Friendly Reading channels), email newsletter, community events, and word-of-mouth referrals.
The business model is fundamentally that of a mission-driven training organization rather than a scalable software business: revenue is service-heavy, dependent on grant subsidization to maintain affordability, and tied to the volunteer-supported facilitator capacity of a small staff. Growth to date has come through expanding partnerships (Dearborn Public Library, Detroit River Conservancy, Cornerstone Charter Schools, Detroit Police Athletic League, Freedom House Women's Shelter) and incremental geographic extension within Michigan and into Georgia, with 82% of annual revenue reportedly directed to program implementation and long-term trainee support.
We Shall Read firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- We Shall Read
- Legal name
- We Shall Read
- Website
- https://weshallread.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2021
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- We Shall Read is a Farmington, Michigan 501(c)(3) non-profit that trains adults in its proprietary Brain Friendly Reading™ Orton-Gillingham based phonics program to serve as reading tutors and classroom educators for children, teens, and adults, including those with dyslexia and English language learners.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
We Shall Read industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Literacy Education and Teacher Training
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Structured Literacy / Orton-Gillingham Intervention Services (EDAKAJAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Literacy & Reading Intervention (Phonics, Fluency, Comprehension) (EDAKADAA), Reading Intervention & Remediation (Decoding, Fluency, Comprehension) (EDAKAJAD), Dyslexia & Reading Intervention Programs (EDAMAJAI), Dyslexia & Structured Literacy (Orton-Gillingham) Tutoring (EDANAFAB)
Keywords
Where We Shall Read is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Farmington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
We Shall Read business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Training Program Fees: We Shall Read generates revenue through training program fees. The MentorMe! 30-hour asynchronous training program costs $1,260 but is partially grant-funded bringing the cost to $195 for participants. Level 2 training costs $90 and Level 3 training costs $65. The organization also offers professional development packages to schools at various investment levels.
- Donations and Grants: As a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, We Shall Read receives donations from individuals and grants. EIN 86-1665696. The organization awards scholarships to MentorMe! trainees, with $347,000 in scholarships awarded since 2021.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | MentorMe! 30-hour asynchronous training (Level 1 & 2) |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Brain Friendly Reading Level 2 Training |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Brain Friendly Reading Level 3 Training |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | BFR Kindergarten & Preschool Training |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Donation Campaign |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
We Shall Read product offering
Product offeringCore offering
We Shall Read delivers structured literacy training to adults — teachers, tutors, parents, and non-profit staff — using its proprietary Brain Friendly Reading (BFR) Orton-Gillingham based systematic phonics program. Its flagship MentorMe! program is a 30+ hour asynchronous course that certifies participants as Reading Interventionists, accompanied by Levels 1-3 and Kindergarten training courses, professional development for schools, parent/dyslexia workshops, and an online shop of BFR instructional materials.
Product overview
We Shall Read is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that operates primarily as an education and training company offering the Brain Friendly Reading™ (BFR) program, an Orton-Gillingham based systematic phonics approach rooted in the science of reading. The core product portfolio consists of four training courses: BFR Level 1 (foundational skills), BFR Level 2 (advanced skills), BFR Level 3 (teens and adults), and BFR Kindergarten & Preschool Training. These are delivered through in-person sessions, virtual live training, and a self-paced asynchronous format via the MentorMe! Reading Tutor Training Program. Additional offerings include certification as a WSR Reading Interventionist, professional development for schools, parent and dyslexia workshops, and access to free resources including YouTube channels and group coaching. The company also maintains a marketplace for BFR materials and a directory of certified independent tutors. The organization has awarded $347,000 in scholarships to MentorMe! trainees since 2021.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Brain Friendly Reading™: The Orton-Gillingham based systematic phonics program used by We Shall Read, rooted in the science of reading. Also referred to as 'OG made easy.'
- MentorMe!
Products and services
- Brain Friendly Reading Level 1 Training Foundational skills training course for K-5 reading instruction and intervention for teachers, tutors, and aspiring reading interventionists, covering the Science of Reading, systematic phonics, syllable types and division, lesson planning, and word study.
- Brain Friendly Reading Level 2 Training Advanced skills training for K-8 learners reading below 4th grade level, covering vowel teams, R-control vowels, final stable syllables, advanced syllable division, and spelling skills, with a half-hour of consulting included.
- Brain Friendly Reading Level 3 Training - Teens and Adults Foundational skills and intervention training for 6th-grade through adult learners, using Brain Friendly Reading strategies together with the Angling For Words curriculum to build neural pathways for reading intervention and spelling.
- Brain Friendly Reading Kindergarten & Preschool Training Training for early-childhood educators and parents on implementing the BFR Kindergarten program, covering phonological awareness, pre-reading skills, letter-sound connections, phonemic segmentation, word building, handwriting, vocabulary, comprehension, and gross-motor strategies.
- MentorMe! Reading Tutor Training Program 30+ hour asynchronous, self-paced job-skills training program covering BFR Levels 1 and 2, designed to train adults from all walks of life to become reading tutors and prepare for BFR Reading Interventionist certification.
- WSR Reading Interventionist Certification Certification program culminating in WSR Certified Reading Interventionist status, including written mastery-based assessment, demonstration of individual skills on Monday nights, and student teaching experience.
- Professional Development for Schools Custom in-person or virtual professional development workshops for school teachers, offered as full-day or half-day sessions aligned with structured literacy principles across Tier 1, 2, and 3 instruction.
- Parent Workshops Educational workshops for parents and caregivers that teach activities and card games to grow children's reading skills at home, including support strategies for children with dyslexia and English language learners.
- Dyslexia Workshops Workshops addressing the characteristics of dyslexia and supporting struggling readers regardless of challenges, offered to schools, community centers, non-profit groups, and libraries.
- BFR Shop - Training Materials Online store offering BFR training materials, sound charts, card games, handouts, and the Brain Friendly Reading Training Companion Guide for program implementation.
Quantifiable outcome
- 82% of annual revenue spent on program implementation and support
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use We Shall Read
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
We Shall Read technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
We Shall Read partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Dearborn Public LibrarycoreEach winter semester, WSR trains up to 30 community members at Dearborn Public Library on how to use the Brain Friendly Reading program. This 12-week, 30-hour training prepares them to be highly-skilled reading tutors. WSR also brings parent workshops to the library and collaborates with them at the Dearborn Summer Market.
- Detroit River ConservancycoreWSR is a partner of the Detroit River Conservancy's signature summer program Reading and Rhythm on the River. WSR brings high-impact games and materials to parents and daycare providers, teaching them how to play games to grow reading skills and providing QR codes to find free games and books.
- Pontiac LibraryminorWSR is bringing tutor training to Pontiac, Michigan and supporting non-profits by bringing reading games and materials to their clients.
- Cornerstone Charter SchoolscoreTeachers across the Cornerstone school system have received 3-30 hours of training in the science of reading. WSR is providing classroom demonstration lessons K-5 for two elementary schools adopting a Brain Friendly Reading approach.
- Leland Public SchoolminorWSR is providing a 30-hour training for teachers K-5. Each session teachers learn more instructional strategies to improve reading and spelling skills in whole group and small group instruction.
- Cass City Public SchoolsminorOne teacher from Cass City, MI took the MentorMe! program and implemented a wildly successful tutoring program. In 2024 she became an in-house trainer for her district.
- Redford Township District LibrarycoreFree Brain Friendly Reading Level 1 course hosted at Redford Township District Library in Michigan. Six in-person sessions covering foundational reading instruction skills.
- Detroit, Michigan Police Athletic LeagueminorWSR is implementing short reading sessions (10 minutes or less) at the beginning of sports practices through the PALs Pilot Project from May-August 2025.
- Freedom House Women's ShelterminorWSR is providing on-the-job modeling/training for organization's staff and volunteers and potentially conducting brief parent workshops on key strategies.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
We Shall Read competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nessy Learning: Nessy provides digital dyslexia intervention programs and teacher resources aligned with the science of reading. It overlaps with We Shall Read's dyslexia-focused tutoring and parent/teacher training offerings.
- 95 Percent Group: 95 Percent Group provides structured literacy teacher training and intervention programs aligned with the science of reading. It is a directly comparable OG-adjacent training provider competing for the same K-5 PD and intervention market.
- Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE): IMSE trains teachers in Orton-Gillingham methodology through intensive in-person and online programs. It is a direct comparable to We Shall Read's MentorMe! adult training pathway and K-5 teacher professional development offering.
- Really Great Reading: Really Great Reading produces structured literacy programs (COUNTDOWN, BLAST, REWARDS) used in Tier 1-3 instruction. It competes for the same school-district professional development and intervention budgets as We Shall Read.
- Logic of English: Logic of English delivers systematic phonics curriculum and teacher training rooted in the science of reading. It competes directly with We Shall Read's BFR program for the teacher training and homeschool market.
- Wilson Language Training: Wilson Language Training provides the Wilson Reading System, an Orton-Gillingham based structured literacy program widely adopted in schools. It is the most direct competitor to We Shall Read's Brain Friendly Reading curriculum, serving the same teacher PD and intervention market.
- All About Learning Press: All About Learning Press offers Orton-Gillingham based reading and spelling curricula (All About Reading, All About Spelling) used by parents, tutors, and homeschoolers. It serves a comparable end-user as We Shall Read's parent workshops and tutor training.
- Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes: Lindamood-Bell delivers evidence-based literacy instruction programs (Seeing Stars, LiPS, Talkies) for students with dyslexia and reading difficulties. It directly overlaps with We Shall Read's structured-literacy intervention and tutoring service model.
Broad incumbents
- Voyager Sopris Learning: Voyager Sopris Learning provides a portfolio of literacy and reading intervention programs (e.g., LANGUAGE!, Voyager Passport) targeting K-12 districts. As a broader incumbent, it competes for school literacy dollars alongside We Shall Read's PD offerings.
- Lexia Learning (Cambium Learning): Lexia offers evidence-based literacy technology and professional learning for K-12 districts. It competes for school literacy budgets with a broader EdTech platform approach versus We Shall Read's direct training model.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
We Shall Read social profiles
Digital presenceWe Shall Read financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
We Shall Read leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
We Shall Read funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
We Shall Read M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about We Shall Read
What does We Shall Read do?
We Shall Read delivers structured literacy training to adults — teachers, tutors, parents, and non-profit staff — using its proprietary Brain Friendly Reading (BFR) Orton-Gillingham based systematic phonics program. Its flagship MentorMe! program is a 30+ hour asynchronous course that certifies participants as Reading Interventionists, accompanied by Levels 1-3 and Kindergarten training courses, professional development for schools, parent/dyslexia workshops, and an online shop of BFR instructional materials.
Is We Shall Read a public or private company?
We Shall Read is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was We Shall Read founded?
We Shall Read was founded in 2021. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is We Shall Read based?
We Shall Read is headquartered in Farmington, United States, in the North America region.
How does We Shall Read make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Training Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Grants.
Who are We Shall Read's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nessy Learning, 95 Percent Group, Institute for Multi-Sensory Education (IMSE), Really Great Reading, Logic of English, Wilson Language Training, All About Learning Press and Lindamood-Bell Learning Processes. Broad incumbents are Voyager Sopris Learning and Lexia Learning (Cambium Learning).
Does We Shall Read have an API?
No public API is recorded for We Shall Read.
What industry is We Shall Read in?
We Shall Read's product category is Literacy Education and Teacher Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKAJAC, Structured Literacy / Orton-Gillingham Intervention Services, with a secondary code of EDAKADAA, Literacy & Reading Intervention (Phonics, Fluency, Comprehension). Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.