Working with Building 21 shows you that systems don’t have to stay the way they are. They can change to meet human needs, not system needs.
Julia M., West Ada School District
Let’s create schools that young people can’t wait to be a part of.
At Building 21, we believe school shouldn’t only prepare young people to succeed in the future—it should be meaningful and relevant right now.
In 2014, we designed and launched an open admission, competency-based high school in Philadelphia.
The idea was born in a Harvard classroom, where co-founders Dr. Chip Linehan and Dr. Laura Shubilla set out to reimagine the high school experience. The name, “Building 21,” was inspired by MIT’s legendary Building 20, an incubator of innovation.
We launched our Lab School in Philly with a mission to help every learner build their sense of agency, experience belonging, and develop competencies that truly matter to their lives and futures. Over the last decade, we’ve directly served thousands of students at our Philadelphia Lab School. Along the way, we’ve freely shared our tools, frameworks, and lessons learned.
And when we couldn’t find the LMS or reporting tools we needed, we decided to build them.
After years of beta testing, we released our LMS platform, Beacon Learning, to make it available to anyone seeking a technology solution for personalized, competency-based learning.
Today, Beacon Learning is one of the most flexible, student-centered LMS and reporting platforms on the market.
In 2019, we launched our Learning Innovation Network. Today, we support thousands of educators designing schools worth showing up for.
The Learning Innovation Network has become the core of our impact model. It spans the country, with 44+ member schools and districts adapting our frameworks, powering their learning models with Beacon Learning, or partnering with us for technical support in their change journey.
Interested in exploring partnership opportunities with the Building 21 team? We’d love to connect with you.
Our latest move? LaunchPad, a Learn and Earn program connecting students to well-paying jobs in the tech industry.
Launchpad is a workforce development program that blends real-world experience, coaching, and skill-building for tech industry jobs. Established in 2023, the program serves 11th and 12th grade students and recent graduates in Philadelphia.
True to our roots, we’re incubating innovative ideas beyond traditional school to help young people thrive, now and in the future.
Join Our Innovation Network
Not already a member? Sign up to access free resources and network-wide learning opportunities. We can’t wait to see you in there.
Our Values
Six core values guide our work.
We’re all in.
We bring our full energy, effort, and heart to this work. We’re with you for the long haul, deeply committed to your students and your vision for success.
We believe education is public infrastructure.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, we’re here to make life better and futures brighter for every learner. Our bottom line isn’t profit; it’s what’s best for kids.
Like roads and bridges, we believe world-class education should be accessible to all, and designed to help you get where you want to go.
We’re obsessed with learning.
We rigorously apply leading research on how people learn to our designs, our practices, and our technology. We’re committed to continuously learning and improving, every day.
We’re audaciously student-centered.
Learners drive every decision we make. Their needs, hopes, experience, and their success. It’s what our work is all about.
We’re collaborative.
We really believe it takes a village—whether raising kids or reimagining an education system. The best ideas emerge when we build side by side, and when different voices and perspectives are valued. That’s why we approach every partnership with humility and curiosity.
Integrity, always.
We show up with honesty and transparency, and we build trust by doing what we say we’ll do.
Service Spotlight:
Graduate Profile Vision to Action
Have you developed a Portrait of a Graduate for your state, district or school, and need support bringing it to life in your learning system?
