Evaluation of the Toolkit to Support Evidence-Based Algebra Instruction in Middle and High School-Recruitment Activities

Appendix A

Study Recruitment Letter

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[IES/REL Central Letterhead]

Dear [DISTRICT CONTACT TITLE] [LAST NAME],

I am writing to share an exciting opportunity for your district to support Algebra 1 teachers’ use of evidence-based teaching practices and students’ understanding of algebraic content. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is funding a study of a new professional development resource for Algebra 1 teachers: The Toolkit to Support Evidence-Based Algebra Instruction in Middle and High School. My organization, Mathematica, will lead this study. Your district has been identified as a possible candidate to participate in this important study. [FOR DISTRICTS WHO HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED THROUGH A SPECIFIC SOURCE, USE THIS WORDING IN PLACE OF THE LAST SENTENCE: [Name of source], as part of a collaboration with the study team, has identified your district as a possible candidate to participate in this important study.]

As districts are trying to accelerate student growth in algebra achievement in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Toolkit provides a one-stop resource for translating experts’ recommendations into concrete and actionable classroom strategies. This Toolkit builds on the What Works Clearinghouse (WWC) practice guide, Teaching Strategies for Improving Algebra Knowledge in Middle and High School Students, that identified promising, evidence-based teacher practices for improving students’ success in algebra. The Toolkit makes these evidence-based practices accessible and engaging for educators by providing tools and resources to help teachers learn the practices, apply them in the classroom, and sustain them over the long-term. The Toolkit is a comprehensive set of materials that enables schools and educators to access all supports in one place, complemented by diagnostic tools to help teachers assess their practices and resources for school leaders to institutionalize practices over time. This Toolkit will not be publicly available until after the conclusion of this study.

As part of the study, half of the participating schools in a district will be randomly chosen to receive early and exclusive access to the Toolkit and they will also receive free, individualized supports from the team who developed it in the 2024-2025 school year. The remaining schools will have the Toolkit made available to them in the 2025-2026 school year. These schools will not receive the study’s additional supports but will likely benefit from the district’s experiences implementing the Toolkit during the 2024-2025 school year. The study will compensate the district, schools, and staff from both groups for participating in study activities.

Because your district has been identified as a candidate for this study, we would like to speak with you or someone else from your district who has knowledge of the Algebra 1 curriculum, assessments, and professional development used at schools in your district. This conversation will help us understand whether your district would be a good fit for the study. Someone from the study team will call you soon to discuss the details of the study. I have included (or “attached” if sent via email) a study overview which provides additional details about the Toolkit, the study activities, and what participating districts can expect. If you have any questions about the study in advance of our team reaching out to you, or prefer we reach out to someone else within your district, please feel free to contact me at [email] or [phone number].

Thank you in advance for your time engaging in discussions around this important study. Your district’s participation could help provide valuable information on how schools’ use of the Toolkit could improve teachers’ instructional practices and students’ understanding of key algebra concepts.

Sincerely,