Semantic Matching

Helping Standards Speak the Same Language

If you are responsible for aligning instructional content to different sets of academic standards you know how hard it can be to find real equivalencies. Simple keyword matching often falls short. The phrasing might change, but the intent behind the standards stays the same.

EdGate’s Semantic Matching bridges the gap between words and meaning.

Built into our ExACT platform, this tool goes beyond how standards are written to understand what they actually mean. It helps you identify accurate matches, even when the language is completely different, so you can align with more confidence and less guesswork.

Understanding Intent Behind the Words

Semantic Matching uses natural language processing (NLP) to analyze the intent behind each standard. Instead of comparing only how standards are written, it helps you understand what they’re asking students to learn or do.

This is especially helpful when standards are phrased differently but share the same meaning. You can identify subtle shifts, find true equivalencies, and make alignment decisions with confidence.

See the Level of Effort at a Glance

When you use Semantic Matching, you’ll get a visual alignment chart that shows how closely two sets of standards align. Each match falls into one of four categories:

Match

Strong alignment, score above 85

Similar

Significant overlap with minor differences

Partial

Some shared elements, but key differences

Low

Minimal or no overlap

This breakdown gives you a quick sense of how much work will be involved in updating your content. For teams working on large-scale alignments, it’s an easy way to prioritize and plan. Full match details, including percentages and standard pairs, are also available in an exportable spreadsheet.

Why Meaning Matters

Standards may be written in different ways, but the goals behind them often overlap. Semantic Matching helps you uncover those connections by focusing on meaning instead of just terminology. This makes it easier to compare old and new standards, crosswalk between states, map to international frameworks, or align content in multiple languages. Subtle shifts that could be missed with keyword matching become clear, giving you a stronger foundation for accurate alignment.

Built directly into the ExACT Standards Alignment Platform, Semantic Matching is available as a premium feature. Once enabled, it allows you to run detailed comparisons, work across languages with semantic translation, and generate reports in multiple formats. Whether you are a curriculum publisher preparing content for adoption or an agency reviewing frameworks, Semantic Matching provides the deeper context needed to make alignment decisions with confidence.

Backed by Decades of Alignment Expertise

For more than 20 years, EdGate has been the trusted source for academic standards data and alignment services. Our proprietary tools, expert team, and deep experience with state, national, and international standards make us the partner of choice for publishers, EdTech providers, and education agencies.

Semantic Matching is just one of the ways we help our clients create smarter, more meaningful connections across content and standards.

Ready to See It Work for You?

Try our free online tools to explore how state standards compare to Common Core. Or contact us to Schedule a Demo of ExACT to experience Semantic Matching firsthand.

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