Off-the-shelf LMS platforms cover 80% of what schools and EdTech companies need, then fall apart on the last 20% that actually matters — strange SIS data shapes, district-specific gradebook rules, accessibility mandates, and reporting that finance and the board actually want. We build custom Learning Management Systems for K-12 districts, universities, corporate L&D teams, and EdTech startups who have outgrown Canvas, Schoology, or Moodle and need software that fits how they actually teach and operate.
What We Offer
We design and build production LMS platforms end-to-end — instructor and learner experiences, admin and reporting dashboards, content authoring, assessment engines, gradebooks, SIS and SSO integrations, and the standards layer (SCORM, xAPI, cmi5, LTI 1.3, OneRoster) that lets your platform talk to the rest of the ecosystem. We also help leadership teams make the build-vs-buy decision honestly before they spend a dollar of engineering budget.
Key Capabilities
- SCORM, xAPI, and cmi5 support: Full content packaging, sequencing, and learning record store (LRS) integration so existing courseware ports in cleanly and detailed activity data flows out.
- OneRoster SIS integration: Roster sync, rostering API endpoints, and bi-directional grade passback with PowerSchool, Infinite Campus, Skyward, and other major SIS platforms — without manual CSV uploads every term.
- LTI 1.3 + LTI Advantage: Tool consumer and tool provider implementations that let your LMS plug into third-party tools (and vice versa) with deep linking, names/roles, and assignment/grade services.
- FERPA and COPPA compliance: Role-based access control, parental consent flows, audit trails, data retention policies, and minimum-necessary data exposure built into the architecture — not bolted on later.
- Single sign-on: SAML 2.0, OpenID Connect, Clever Instant Login, ClassLink, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Entra ID. Users hit one button and they are in.
- Custom roles and permissions: Beyond student/teacher/admin — instructional coaches, paraprofessionals, parents, district-level analysts, and external auditors each get a permission scope that matches their real job.
- White-label and multi-tenant: If you are an EdTech company selling to multiple districts or partners, we build tenant isolation, branded subdomains, and per-tenant configuration into the foundation.
Our Process
1. Discovery & Architecture
We start by interviewing teachers, admins, IT directors, and (if relevant) students. Then we audit your current stack: which SIS, which assessment vendors, which content libraries, which compliance obligations. The output is a concrete architecture document — data model, integration map, infrastructure plan, and a build-vs-buy recommendation for each major capability. Sometimes the honest answer is "use Canvas plus this one custom service" and we will tell you that.
2. Design & Prototyping
We prototype the highest-risk flows first — usually grading, assessment delivery, and the SIS sync — in clickable form so stakeholders can react before we write production code. Accessibility (WCAG 2.2 AA) is part of the design phase, not a QA step. We validate UX with real teachers and learners on the actual devices they use, including Chromebooks and aging district-issued hardware.
3. Development & Integration
Implementation runs in two-week iterations against a shared backlog. We use TypeScript, React, and Next.js on the frontend, with Postgres, Redis, and either Node or Rails on the backend depending on the team and constraints. Integrations are built behind versioned adapters so the SIS vendor, SSO provider, or content tool can change without breaking the rest of the platform. Every PR runs through automated tests, accessibility checks, and a security scan.
4. Launch & Support
We pilot with a small cohort — one school, one course, one department — before district-wide or organization-wide rollout. We handle the migration from your legacy LMS (Canvas, Blackboard, Schoology, Moodle, or a homegrown system), train your admins, and stay on for post-launch support. Most clients keep us on a retainer for ongoing feature work and the inevitable mid-year integration request.
Industries We Serve
- K-12 districts: District-wide LMS rollouts with SIS integration, parental access portals, and reporting tailored to state accountability requirements.
- Higher education: Course-management platforms, competency-based education systems, and LTI tool integrations for universities and community colleges.
- Corporate L&D: Compliance training, role-based learning paths, and xAPI-powered analytics for regulated industries like healthcare, finance, and manufacturing.
- EdTech startups: Multi-tenant SaaS platforms with district sales-friendly features (SSO, OneRoster, FERPA) built in from day one.
- Trade schools and workforce development: Cohort-based learning, credentialing, and integration with state workforce reporting systems.