Across the United States, schools face intense pressure to prioritize tested subjects, especially reading/English Language Arts (ELA) and mathematics. When schedules are full and resources are limited, science and the arts can be the first areas to lose instructional time and hands-on materials.
Recent research finds that elementary students receive about 20 minutes of science instruction per day on average, and many early grade teachers report that they do not teach science every week. Educators also cite competing demands, particularly accountability pressure in ELA and math as a major barrier to consistent science instruction.
Schools report similar constraints in arts education. In a nationally representative survey of U.S. public schools, principals reported strong student interest in the arts, but only 55% said their schools had adequate funding, facilities, and materials to support arts instruction.
Together, these pressures create a real challenge for teachers who want to offer the kind of hands-on, project based experiences that help students connect curiosity to learning.
Approved by the IRS in January 2024, Jonny Bass Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to strengthening arts and science learning in K-12 classrooms. We connect educators with supplies and digital services so they can bring creative, hands on learning to students, without adding administrative burden.
Jonny Bass focuses on the powerful intersection of art and science because curiosity, observation, and problem solving are shared skills that fuel learning and innovation across every subject.
Breakthroughs often come from people who blend creative thinking with scientific inquiry.
Leonardo da Vinci’s artistic mastery informed his scientific investigations. Samuel Morse began his career as a painter before developing the telegraph and Morse code. Albert Einstein’s lifelong relationship with music ran alongside his work in physics. And astrophysicist Brian May has balanced a career in music with scientific research.
These examples highlight a simple idea: when students are given opportunities to create, experiment, and explore, they build skills that transfer far beyond a single subject.
Jonny Bass exists to remove everyday barriers that can prevent hands-on, project based learning from taking place.
Teachers routinely face limited budgets, complicated procurement processes, and time constraints that make it difficult to secure quality materials, lesson plans, and project support. Even when teachers have strong ideas for classroom projects, turning those ideas into reality can be challenging, especially when schools lack the materials required for “make and do” learning.
Jonny Bass provides both physical materials and digital support through a centralized online experience.
• Verified teachers can request classroom supplies online, with physical items delivered through Amazon wishlists.
• Digital services are delivered through a secure, cloud based platform that uses modern automation (including AI assisted tools) to provide a range of digital experiences for classrooms.
By coordinating sourcing, fulfillment, and support in an organized way, Jonny Bass helps teachers spend more time on instruction and less time on logistics.
At the center of Jonny Bass is a secure, web based system that manages the full cycle of teacher participation. The platform supports onboarding, verification, material requests, and fulfillment coordination within one structured environment.
We use automation and AI assisted tools because Jonny Bass was founded by technologists and creators who built their careers around practical, “state of the art” solutions, always in service of making it easier for educators to do what they do best.
Teachers who participate complete a thorough verification process, providing professional credentials and references. This helps ensure resources are directed responsibly and that all activity aligns with K-12 educational expectations.
By consolidating these functions into one streamlined system, Jonny Bass reduces complexity for teachers and schools.
Jonny Bass’s work goes beyond delivering supplies and digital services. We are equally committed to celebrating the creative outcomes that come from hands-on learning.
Our public facing Student Gallery showcases classroom projects and highlights real world results of interdisciplinary education. The gallery celebrates student achievement, provides visibility for teachers, and helps communities see the value of creative learning.
In addition, Jonny Bass is developing and piloting community focused initiatives with product and material suppliers. Teachers suggest projects, sometimes including lesson plans and photos of their current classroom work. Jonny Bass collaborates with selected suppliers to package those projects into ready-to-order kits that teachers can request easily.
The foundation is supported by a network of contributors, including individual donors and volunteers who help review teacher requests. This collaborative model keeps Jonny Bass connected to the communities it serves and helps ensure resources reflect real classroom needs.
Jonny Bass operates with a commitment to safety, transparency, and responsible data management. As cyber threats increasingly target K-12 institutions, thoughtful privacy and security practices are essential for any organization working alongside schools and educators.
In alignment with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), Jonny Bass does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. Teachers are responsible for securing appropriate parental permissions before submitting any student work for public display.
By maintaining clear guidelines and internal controls, Jonny Bass builds trust with families, teachers, donors, and institutional partners. Privacy and accountability are treated as essential elements of program delivery.
Research consistently shows that well designed project based learning supports student engagement and can improve academic outcomes. Recent meta analyses find positive effects of project based learning on student learning outcomes and motivation when compared with more traditional instruction.
At the same time, effective project based learning depends on access to quality materials and dependable operational support. Many schools lack one or both.
Jonny Bass addresses this need by pairing classroom resources with a structured support system. As the organization expands partnerships and digital capabilities, we remain focused on one clear objective: strengthening the conditions that allow experiential learning to thrive in K-12 classrooms, regardless of location or budget constraints.
