EdGate Services

How State-Level Curriculum Adoption Really Works

sschuller — Mon, 16 Jun 2025 23:49:35 +0000

How State-Level Curriculum Adoption Really Works

sschuller Mon, 06/16/2025 - 16:49

How State-Level Curriculum Adoption Really Works—And Where It Breaks Down

June 16 2025

Navigating the curriculum approval process at the state level isn’t just a box to check. It’s a high-stakes journey that can determine whether your instructional materials ever reach the classroom. While every state has its own method, the journey from academic standards to classroom adoption tends to follow a similar path.

1. Standards Are Set

States develop unique sets of standards for adoption, with many adapting modified versions of national standards

Breaking Point: Every state interprets standards differently, creating complexity for publishers and content developers.

ExACT® offers powerful reporting features, such as GAP, which is designed to identify gaps between content and standards requirements on a state-by-state basis

2. Instructional Materials Review

Curriculum alignments are evaluated within a specific timeframe, but their relevance evolves over time as new standards are introduced

Breaking Point: 30% of standards change year/year, requiring continual maintenance of alignment for compliance

ExACT® enhances all standards, including updates, with metadata, CASE identifiers, and detailed concepts to ensure precise alignment

3. Curriculum Approved

Approved materials are added to state adoption lists each year

Breaking Point: Every state has unique legislative requirements that can derail approvals. Understanding them is critical to long-term success

EdGate provides Third-Party review services, and our Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) are trained to understand the nuances of state requirements in order to facilitate the approval process

4. Purchase Decisions

Schools or Districts select  curriculum for adoption in  the upcoming year(s)

Breaking Point:Classroom adoption is not assured: Teachers have the final say as to what they will be included in their lesson plans

Aligning your content, supplemental materials, and assessments to standards and taxonomies in ExACT® boosts its appeal and adoption potential

Questions Asked Most Frequently at ASU-GSV 2025

sschuller — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 23:24:26 +0000

Questions Asked Most Frequently at ASU-GSV 2025

EdTech

EdGate Services

Hot Topic

U.S. Secretary of Education

Probably the highest profile event at ASU+GSV 2025 was the Tuesday morning interview featuring Linda McMahon, U.S. Secretary of Education. As evidence of its prominence, the building was secured with limited entrances/exits, secret service was in attendance, and a small group of protesters stood outside the conference venue. As is widely known, under the direction of the U.S. President, McMahon has been tasked with preparing to shut down the U.S. Department of Education. This executive order would require an act of Congress. As part of McMahon’s mission, she vowed to “return education to the states”, as declared during her February 2025 confirmation hearing and in her speech that can now be found on the U.S. Dept. of Ed. site.

What Does Return to the States Mean?

From our vantage point as the leading educational standards consulting company, EdGate has been pondering what this “return to the states” means for state curriculum standards/frameworks. Sure enough, the questions I received most often while at ASU+GSV were “What does this shift back to the states mean for learning standards?” and “Is Common Core dead?”

It’s widely known that every state already has its own standards (a.k.a. competencies). So in some ways, when our team is aligning K-12 education content to standards, we tend to think of the U.S. as fifty tiny countries. Although all states have adopted learning standards that basically teach the same concepts (adding fractions, verb tenses, photosynthesis, etc.) the emphasis put on individual concepts, the way individual standards are written and published, and at which grade level concepts are introduced differs from state to state. State standards often reflect the unique history, economy, and politics of each state. This is especially evident in subject areas like Social Studies and Career and Technical Education (CTE). For instance, some states emphasize healthcare or agriculture in their CTE standards, while others focus heavily on information technology—clearly aligning with the dominant industries and workforce demands within their regional economies.

A healthy share of companies that engage with EdGate come to us with their content already aligned to the Common Core standards. At that point, they have a good baseline to start with. After all, the Common Core State Standards were created in 2010 to establish consistent educational expectations across the fifty states, ensuring all students receive a comparable education in English language arts and mathematics. EdGate continuously links all of the state learning standards to a core taxonomy of concepts so we can take the existing Common Core alignments and map those Common Core alignments to the other 49 states. So is Common Core dead? No, but the states that have kept the Common Core verbatim are rare and after every state standard update cycle the standards become increasingly further removed from the original Common Core. Treating ELA and Math standards like social studies, where every state is bespoke, is closer to reality.

Helpful Resources

EdGate created a very useful and freely available state-by-state learning standards comparison visual on our website. Click on any state to see the differences between state standards and Common Core, NGSS, C3 and other widely used libraries. Check it out and see you next year at ASU+GSV!

What is high-quality curriculum (HQIM)?

sschuller — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 17:30:07 +0000

What is high-quality curriculum (HQIM)?

EdTech

EdGate Services

Hot Topic

sschuller Tue, 04/22/2025 - 10:30

What is high-quality curriculum (HQIM)?

April 22 2025

Author

Naomi Morton

First, Let’s Define Curriculum

In basic terms, curriculum is the what, why, and how of student learning. It encompasses the lessons and tools teachers use and the timeframe in which they are implemented. While materials terminology evolves and changes, at its core, HQIM is knowledge-rich, engaging instructional materials that develop critical and creative thinking skills, fostering deeper student learning, while realizing a range of societal demands and government policies. Materials should reflect evidence-based best practices in relevant content areas and support all types of students including English language learners, students with disabilities and students identified as gifted or talented. Texas, as an example, has specific criteria that materials must meet to reach HQIM status.

Collaborative for Student Success

CurriculumHQ is a project of the Collaborative for Student Success whose goal is to “provide leaders with the information and examples they need to enable high-quality materials adoption and curriculum-based training in their communities.” In 2024, CurriculumHQ conducted a comprehensive scan by state and created a map that allows viewers to explore how states and districts are using high-quality learning materials. For example, Pennsylvania utilizes the Standards Aligned System (SAS) and Voluntary Model Curriculum, Indiana creates and revises a High-Quality Curricular Materials (HQCM) advisory list annually. Arkansas supports the Arkansas Initiative for Instructional Materials (AIIM). Virginia follows a curriculum review process under the Virginia Literacy Act (VLA).

Seven Hours Per Week

Sources indicate that teachers spend approximately seven hours per week searching for instructional resources, much of it from online sources and not always vetted, resulting in approximately 30% of teachers nationwide using high-quality materials consistently. Providing teachers with equitable access to HQIM and professional development support is important for the education ecosystem and helps ensure students acquire the necessary skills to be successful.

Standards alignment is one of the most important uniting factors regarding HQIM. Implementing HQIM that is aligned to rigorous state standards leads to improved student outcomes.

Want to learn more about HQIM and how adoption processes vary by state?

Check out our webinar on Texas adoption requirements for a deep dive into one of the most structured review processes in the country. Or explore the latest updates in our blog article on Florida's 2025–2026 instructional materials timeline.

Contact the EdGate team to learn how we can support your organization with accurate standards alignment and crosswalk services across all 50 states.

Streamlining State-Level K-12 Curriculum Adoption

sschuller — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 18:21:44 +0000

Streamlining State-Level K-12 Curriculum Adoption

EdTech

ExACT

EdGate Services

sschuller Tue, 04/01/2025 - 11:21

Streamlining State-Level K-12 Curriculum Adoption with Advanced Technology

April 01 2025

Author

Rich Portelance

State-level K-12 curriculum adoption is a high-stakes process for EdTech companies and education publishers. If your content doesn’t align with state standards, you risk costly revisions, lost contracts, and delayed revenue. Misalignment isn’t just a minor inconvenience—it’s a direct threat to growth. EdGate is committed to providing solutions leveraging advanced technology that reduce cost and speed solutions without compromising quality.

The Hidden Costs of Misalignment

Lost Revenue Opportunities

EdTech companies and publishers spend months and years developing curriculum, but when state’s reject content due to misalignment with state requirements, it means lost revenue and additional time spent on revisions.

Increased Operational Costs

Manual curriculum alignment is a labor-intensive process that can drain resources. Subject-matter experts, instructional designers, and compliance teams spend countless hours reviewing standards instead of innovating.

Delayed Market Entry

Education providers that struggle with alignment take longer to enter new markets. In an industry where state adoption cycles are rigid, missing deadlines can mean waiting years for the next opportunity.

How State-Level Curriculum Adoption Works

And Where It Breaks Down

View Our Infographic

The Role of Advanced Technology in Streamlining the Alignment Process

Advanced technology, like EdGate’s ExACT Standards Alignment Platform, can:

Automate alignment checks to ensure content meets state standards before submission. This includes advanced reporting like Gap Analysis that outlines alignment gaps from one state to the next.
Provide real-time insights on where content falls short, reducing revision cycles. ExACT can take that information and accurately migrate the aligned resources and map to any set of standards in our repository.
Streamline approvals by creating easy-to-navigate curriculum maps for state reviewers.
Know content is aligned, while you develop it. ExACT is the only comprehensive platform that lets your team test alignments while they create classroom content. Within ExACT, they gain access to a repository of over 5.5 million enhanced academic and CTE standards, all with added metadata for discovery, and CASE GUIDs where appropriate.

Next Steps: How to Future-Proof Your Curriculum Strategy

The key to avoiding misalignment pitfalls is leveraging the right technology. On June 12, 2025, we’re hosting a live webinar on how advanced technologies, like AI, machine learning, natural language processing, advanced text analysis and data analytics and automation can streamline curriculum adoption, boost revenue, and reduce costs.

Pre-Register Now to gain insights from industry experts and see real-world examples of alignment success.

A Client’s View on how to Access the U.S. Education Market Successfully

sschuller — Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:11:51 +0000

A Client’s View on how to Access the U.S. Education Market Successfully

EdTech

ExACT

EdGate Services

Join us February 27, 2025 at 11 AM PST, 2PM EST

There will be a Q&A; portion, so please bring your questions!

BETT Attendees Find Standards Integral

sschuller — Thu, 13 Feb 2025 00:21:07 +0000

BETT Attendees Find Standards Integral

EdGate Services

Hot Topic

State Highlight

Do Standards Lead the way?

To get back to the question at hand, while some companies do begin writing content without referencing the standards, they are ultimately required to align their content to K-12 Curriculum standards, at least if they are serious about ensuring that their content is adopted, purchased and implemented into education systems. Without the security of the specific state or country standards alignment, curriculum that does not mean specific standards may be cast aside.

As one BETT attendee said, “Everything stems from the standards.” We agree. To illustrate:

Content Management Systems: Users of a content management system need access to standards in order to write content to meet the standards.
Online learning materials, textbooks, educational games, educational videos, etc: Content buyers must see proof of alignment to learning outcomes in order to use materials within the classroom.
Assessments: Assessment items need to meet standards in order to assess if a student has mastered specific learning concepts.
Content delivery systems: Educators have to see the connection between content and the learning standards. This is typically required by the state or governing body.
State Learning Ecosystems: Standards create interoperable digital learning ecosystems and make learning technology more accessible by personalizing resources, interfaces, and content.

So from an evolutionary perspective, standards are the egg.

Ministries of Education Looking at Standards for Global Perspective

Our location in the Global Showcase area of the BETT conference hall gave us close access to the various Ministries of Education and government-selected suppliers from countries such as Korea, Italy, Bulgaria, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, France and more. The various ministries of Education expressed different interests than those of the educators and EdTech companies we spoke to. The MOE’s are looking for the ability to compare learning standards across the world. We were asked questions like:

How can I compare my learning standards with the Australia standards or the Common Core standards?
What are the gaps that we see when comparing standards across the world?
Are students in some countries being introduced to concepts earlier than other countries?
And the age-old question: what country has the gold standard set of standards?

Indeed, not all standards are created equal. While some states and countries have amassed volumes of individual learning standards, other countries are getting by with very thin (or non-existent) standards documentation.

EdGate will be hosting a special “International Edition” webinar on February 27th focusing on how to open global markets. EdGate and our international guest panelists will answer many of the questions posed in this BETT recap article and much more.

Recapping the ‘Crosswalking to Contracts’ Webinar

sschuller — Fri, 22 Nov 2024 20:13:36 +0000

Recapping the ‘Crosswalking to Contracts’ Webinar

EdGate Services

Hot Topic

State Highlight

sschuller Fri, 11/22/2024 - 12:13

Recapping the ‘Crosswalking to Contracts’ Webinar

November 22 2024

Author

Rich Portelance

This September EdGate hosted our third webinar of the year, focusing on a topic that has become vital yet often misunderstood — how crosswalking alignments from state to state helps open new markets. To shed light on the many facets of the topic we welcomed industry experts from both Texas — arguably one of the most difficult states to not only navigate the educational system, but to win contracts in; and from Learning.com, a partner of EdGate and publisher who has figured out the process and was willing to share their secrets. Traditionally winning new contracts has been the purvey of the sales department, but increasingly in EdTech, it requires a team approach — all hands on deck.

State AI Guidance Documents & Frameworks

sschuller — Wed, 20 Nov 2024 17:04:43 +0000

State AI Guidance Documents & Frameworks

EdTech

EdGate Services

Standard Updates

sschuller Wed, 11/20/2024 - 09:04

State AI Guidance Documents & Frameworks

November 20 2024

Author

Gina Faulk

EdGate has been watching states as they continue to publish AI Guidance and Frameworks to help school district leaders navigate AI in the K-12 classroom. The guidance encourages teachers to support AI and use it to enhance learning and their own productivity in the classroom. Several states frame their guidance with forethought as to how AI will shape future workforces.

Back in October 2023 just two states—California and Oregon—offered official guidance to school districts on using AI in schools. Fast forward one year and as of now, close to 50% of the U.S states offer AI guidance. Here’s a link to a helpful map from the AI for Education group detailing out all states that have published official AI guidance on the use of AI in K-12 schools. Note that the map is interactive and links out to summaries and full guidance for each state who has authored AI guidance.

Per the Center on Reinventing Education (CRPE), a non-partisan research and policy analysis center at Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College, “Guidances that have been published or that are currently in development focus on the ethical and equity implications of AI’s use, recommendations for teachers’ and students’ appropriate use of AI, and emerging best practices to enhance instruction…The guidance also explores the potential for AI to improve systemic inequities.”

The U.S. Department of Education released AI guidance for EdTech vendors in July 2024. A full PDF called Designing for Education with Artificial Intelligence: An Essential Guide for Developers “seeks to inform product leads and their teams of innovators, designers, developers, customer-facing staff, and legal teams as they work toward safety, security, and trust while creating AI products and services for use in education.”

Coming at this from the standards angle, the team at EdGate has evaluated the guidance documents to determine if they are set up like standards. That is, can content be aligned to the guidance documents, like standards? Are there learning outcomes that content could align to? The distinction we’ve found is that the guidance documents are set up as “frameworks”, as opposed to “standards.” The frameworks are aimed at educators for guidance in how to approach AI in the classroom.

That said, we expect that AI will be referenced within a wide array of subject area standards in the years to come. When looking at the Washington State AI classroom guidance documents it’s indicated that AI will play a starring role in the subjects of Career and Technical Education (CTE) and computer science. Additionally, AI will also be integrated into ELA, Mathematics, Social Studies, Climate and Environmental Science, Physics and Engineering, Special Education, ELL, and World Languages.

The California AI guidance documents support this hypothesis. Within the California guidance documents, it is noted that “Incorporating AI skills and computer science standards into K-12 education can equip students with the knowledge and abilities necessary to navigate and contribute to an increasingly AI-powered world.”

Watch EdGate’s standards update page for more info on standards added to our library: https://www.edgate.com/resources/updated-standards

Florida's Instructional Materials Adoption Process

sschuller — Wed, 13 Nov 2024 23:53:53 +0000

Florida's Instructional Materials Adoption Process

EdGate Services

Standard Updates

State Highlight

sschuller Wed, 11/13/2024 - 15:53

Florida's Instructional Materials Adoption Process

November 13 2024

Author

Sharla Schuller

Key Changes and How EdGate Can Help You Succeed

With the passage of Senate Bill 7004, Florida’s instructional materials adoption process is entering a new phase—one that offers more time, flexibility, and opportunities for both publishers and districts. These changes are designed to streamline the adoption process while giving districts the power to make decisions that meet their unique needs. What do these updates mean for you, and how can EdGate ensure your success?

New Timelines: More Time for Districts to Prepare, But Don’t Miss the Deadline

The Florida Department of Education (DOE) is introducing earlier deadlines for instructional material adoption, giving districts additional time to review state-approved resources. For the 2025-2026 adoption cycle, the state-approved materials list will be published by December 1, 2025, allowing districts more time for evaluation. However, publishers must act quickly—submissions are now due by January 2025, a significant shift from the previous May deadline. This "transition timeline" aims to streamline preparation, but time is critical. Starting with the 2026-2027 cycle and beyond, the approved materials list will be published much earlier—by July 31 of the prior year—creating a clearer and more predictable schedule for everyone involved.

The 2025-2026 cycle will focus on:

Career and Technical Education (K-12)
World Languages (K-12)
Performing and Visual Arts (K-12)
Health and Physical Education (K-12)
Additional English Language Arts (6-12)

Flexibility for Districts, Opportunity for Publishers

With more flexible guidelines, district school boards now have the freedom to determine the number of instructional materials needed in each classroom, while principals will have discretion in managing lost or damaged materials. This opens new doors for publishers to better align their materials with district-specific needs.

How EdGate Can Help: Your Trusted Partner in Third-Party Reviews

A key step in the adoption process is ensuring your instructional materials meet Florida's stringent standards. That’s where EdGate comes in. Our expert team is highly experienced with Florida’s specific alignment requirements and is ready to ensure your materials meet every necessary standard for successful adoption.

We understand how critical this process is and are here to help you meet every deadline. Reach out to our knowledgeable Sales Representatives to discuss how we can support your project and ensure you’re fully prepared for the 2025-2026 adoption cycle.

Key Takeaways:

The 2025-2026 cycle focuses on high-demand areas; Career and Technical Education, World Languages, Performing and Visual Arts, Health and Physical Education, Additional English Language Arts (6-12)
Updated deadlines give more time to prepare, but publisher submissions for the upcoming cycle are due in January 2025.
EdGate’s third-party review services ensure your materials are compliant, aligned, and ready for approval.

Let’s get started!

Contact EdGate today to discuss how we can help you navigate Florida’s evolving instructional materials process.

Unlock New Markets by Bridging the Gaps in Your Content

sschuller — Thu, 22 Aug 2024 22:49:55 +0000

Unlock New Markets by Bridging the Gaps in Your Content

ExACT

EdGate Services

sschuller Thu, 08/22/2024 - 15:49

Unlock New Markets by Bridging the Gaps in Your Content

August 22 2024

Author

Sharla Schuller

Expanding into new states or navigating complex educational standards can be a challenge for any educational publisher. If you're finding it tough to gain traction in a new market or ensure your content meets specific standards, ExACT’s Gap Reporting feature provides the clarity you need.

Why Gap Reporting is a Game-Changer

Gap Reporting is more than just a tool—it's designed to spotlight discrepancies between your educational content and the standards you're aiming to meet. This powerful feature in ExACT doesn’t just show where your content aligns, it reveals where it doesn’t, offering actionable insights that allow you to make targeted adjustments. The result? Content that’s fully aligned with the required standards, giving you a competitive edge in any market.

Benefits of ExACT’s Gap Reporting

Accelerate Market Expansion

By quickly identifying gaps in content alignment, you can adapt your materials to meet the standards of new states or districts. This proactive approach not only speeds up market entry but also increases the likelihood of adoption.

Save Time and Resources

Manual gap analysis is time-consuming and prone to error. ExACT’s Gap Reporting automates this process, providing instant visibility into both correlated and non-correlated standards. This efficiency frees up your team to focus on refining content rather than getting bogged down in tedious manual work.

Enhance Content Quality

With detailed insights into where your content meets or falls short of standards, you can make informed decisions on where to focus development efforts. This targeted approach ensures that your content not only meets but exceeds the expectations of educators and decision-makers.

Key Features to Drive Your Success

Comprehensive Views: ExACT allows you to choose between viewing all data (correlated and uncorrelated), only correlated standards, or just uncorrelated standards (the gaps). This flexibility ensures you’re always in control of your content’s alignment strategy.

Up-to-Date Content Alignment: Staying current with ever-evolving standards is no small feat. With ExACT, you can rest easy knowing that your gap analysis is based on the latest data from the EdGate Standards Repository, keeping your content relevant and competitive.

In-Depth Statistical Reports: The inclusion of Correlation Statistics in your gap reports provides a deeper level of insight, making it easier to fine-tune your content for maximum alignment. Whether you’re preparing for state bids or refining content for a specific district, these reports are invaluable tools for success.

Maximize Your Content’s Potential

The insights gained from Gap Reporting can transform your content development strategy, ensuring that your materials are not only aligned with standards but also optimized for success in any educational market. By leveraging ExACT’s user-friendly reports, you are better equipped to deliver high-quality content that meets the needs of educators and students.

Ready to take your content alignment to the next level? Reach out to our representatives today to explore gap reporting and all the powerful features in ExACT.