Attachment A-2. School Principal Email

Dear [High School Principal],

REL Southwest would like to invite your school to participate in a research study examining 

changes in the mathematics course requirements for high school graduation being 

implemented under Texas House Bill 5 (the Foundation High School Program). 

The study will investigate whether providing the parents of students entering grade 9 during the 2014-

15 school year with information about the changes to the mathematics course requirements (as well as 

providing a comparison of the admissions requirements for most four-year, public universities and 

colleges in Texas) has an impact on students’ mathematics course enrollment in high school. Specifically, 

the study will look at differences in the algebra II enrollment and completion between students whose 

parents received this information and those students whose parents did not receive this information.

Who is eligible to participate?

We are looking for high schools that are willing to mail informational materials describing the 

changes to the high school graduation mathematics requirements to parents of students 

entering grade 9 during the 2014-15 school year. Materials will be distributed during the early 

spring of2016.

How will the study be conducted?

The study will be conducted as a randomized controlled trial. At the beginning of the study, 

one-half of the participating high schools will be randomly assigned to receive study materials 

and asked to distribute these materials during the spring of 2016. The remaining high schools 

will conduct business-as-usual during this time period but will receive study materials at the 

conclusion of the study, if desired. 

What are the study materials and how will they be distributed?

The study materials will consist of an information brochure—provided in English and Spanish—

to be mailed to students’ homes. Schools randomly assigned to receive study materials will 

receive a box of prepaid, pre-stuffed envelopes containing the informational brochure, and 

they will be asked to print and adhere mailing labels containing student addresses to the 

envelopes and place them in the U.S. Mail. REL Southwest will reimburse schools up to $150 to 

cover the cost of staff time and address label printing materials. Schools will not be asked to 

provide any student data to REL Southwest. It is estimated that it should not take more than 3 

hours for schools to prepare and mail the envelopes.
Schools will not be requested to provide any student data for this study. Most of the data 

needed for the study will be received from extant data requested from the Texas Education 

Agency (TEA) and will be kept confidential. All individually identifiable information about 

schools, students, and families will remain confidential in accordance with FERPA regulations

(34 CFR Part 99). All published reports will be presented in the aggregate- with no individual 

school or student information provided.

How will you benefit?

Participating schools will receive informational brochures describing the new mathematics 

requirements being implemented under the new Foundation High School Program graduation 

plans and how these requirements compare to the admissions requirements for most fouryear, public universities and colleges in Texas to distribute to parents. The brochures will be 

available in English and Spanish. These brochures are designed to help students in your schools 

make informed choices about the mathematics courses they complete.

How can I receive more information or sign up for the study?

For more information or to participate in the study, contact Deborah Van Kummer at (512) 391-

6551 or deborah.vankummer@sedl.org. 

THANK YOU!

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required to respond to a 

collection of information unless such collection displays a valid OMB control number. The valid 

OMB control number for this information collection is 1850-xxxx. Public reporting burden for 

this collection of information is estimated to average 15 minutes/hours per response, including 

time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the 

data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information. The obligation to 

respond to this collection is voluntary. If you have comments or concerns regarding the status 

of your individual submission of this form, application or survey, please contact Deborah Van 

Kummer at (512) 391-6551 or deborah.vankummer@sedl.org.