Saved Schools

Building 21 Philadelphia

Building 21 Philadelphia, nominated by A Revolution in Education, Aurora Institute, and an anonymous organization, is a high school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, that describes itself as a public district school serving learners from a primarily urban area.

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Location Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Governance Public District School

Grades High

Students 397

Locale Urban

Principal Ben Koch

Demographics

Percentage of students*

6%

English Learners

99%

Free/Reduced Lunch

25%

Students with Disabilities

African American or Black 88%

American Indian/Alaska Native —

Asian 1%

Hawaiian or Pacific Islander —

Hispanic or Latino 7%

White 1%

2+ Races —

Why Building 21 Philadelphia was nominated

They are ultra-focused on the well-being and agency of their youth, many of which are growing up in very challenging circumstances. Focused on: - relationships - restorative practices - personalized learning pathways - project-based learning, and - growth mindset In the context of problem-based learning and real-world experiences wrapped around a competency-based learning and assessment system., Building 21 Philadelphia's studio model allows students to be the designers of their own pathway with support from teachers. Credits are earned by creating portfolios of evidence rather than by completing courses. Their competency-based learning approach isn't limited to students; it extends to teachers and school administrators, serving as a framework for self-assessment, goal-setting, coaching, and feedback tools. Emphasizing depth of content over breadth, Building 21 offers an innovative learning experience. Students aren't confined to traditional classrooms; they actively engage in learning experiences beyond school walls., Building 21 implements an innovative competency-based education model, which replaces traditional time-based, age-based, and course-based structures with those that focus on readiness, growth, and demonstrations of learning through authentic performance-based assessments.

Student experience design

Building 21 is a competency-based high school with an emphasis on relationships and skill building to support postsecondary success: Competency-based learning: Students work on the same skills for all four years of high school. The purpose is for them to develop specific skills slowly over time so that each of their skills are of quality that is ready for college, career, and beyond. Relationships at the Core: It is our belief that all students should have at least one adult in the building they trust to go to when in need of support. We establish formal and informal channels for authentic relationship building amongst students. This includes daily check-ins with class, a robust advisory model that remains together for all four years. Personalized Learning and Passion Discovery: In our model, each student deserves the opportunity to craft a personalized learning pathway. We do this by setting academic target levels for students based on a comprehensive data set. These targets can change from year to year based on student progress. In addition, students engage in scaffolded college and career exposure opportunities to discover their passions and build agency to turn their passions into a postsecondary plan. This includes industry guest speakers, shadow opportunities, internships, dual enrollment college classes both on our campus and on college campuses, and project-based learning with real world connection.

Core Practices

Core Practices Length of Use

Anti-racist Practices
5+ years

Community And Workforce Partnerships
5+ years

Family And Community Support Services
5+ years

Competency/mastery-based Education
5+ years

Culturally Responsive Practices
5+ years

All Practices

Student Advisories

AI For Learning Materials

AI For Teacher Productivity

Assessments For Agency And Self-directed Learning

Assessments For Career Readiness

Assessments For Deeper Learning

Assessments For Social-emotional Skills

Co-leadership

Early College High School

Extended Learning Time

Flexible Staffing & Alternative Teaching Roles

Grading Policies Focus On Mastery

All Courses Designed For Inclusion

Industry-recognized Credentials

Interoperable Data From Multiple Technologies

Individual Learning Paths

Mental Health Services

1:1 Mentoring

Multi-tiered System Of Support (MTSS) In Academics

Project-based Learning

Peer To Peer Support

Performance Based Assessment

High Quality Instructional Materials

Reallocation Of Resources For Students Most In Need

Restorative Practices

SEL Integration School-wide

Students Access Their Own Data

Self-paced Learning

Trauma-informed Practices

Tutoring

Universal Design For Learning

key reasons for innovating

Address systemic inequities

Improve academic achievement

Increase student agency

Date Updated: 4/1/2025

*Canopy profile data is self-reported or sourced from NCES data, then verified by school leaders.