Calculators are required for the following STAAR assessments: grade 8 mathematics, grade 8 science, Algebra I, and Biology. Calculator tools appropriate for these tests and that fulfill this requirement are available for student use in the online testing platform.

Calculators are not permitted for students taking the STAAR grades 3–7 mathematics assessments or the STAAR grade 5 science assessment unless the student meets the eligibility criteria to use a calculator as an accommodation. Information regarding calculators as a designated support for students with disabilities can be found in the Accommodations section.

Students may use or have access to more than one calculation device during the assessment. For students testing online with more than one calculation device or students testing on paper, the following information applies.

District- or Student-Supplied Calculation Devices

• The district may provide calculation devices, or students may bring them from home.

• To the extent allowable, students should be provided or allowed to use the same type of calculation device during testing that they routinely use in the classroom. Providing an unfamiliar calculation device on the day of the state assessment may hinder rather than aid the student.

• For the STAAR grade 8 mathematics and Algebra I assessments, each student must have access to a graphing calculation device throughout the entire test.

• For the STAAR grade 8 science and Biology assessments, students must have access to a calculation device with basic four-function capability at a minimum. There should be at least one calculation device for every five students taking these assessments.

• The use of a calculation device during STAAR should not compromise the assessment of the TEKS. Districts should be aware that some calculation devices include programs, applications, or resources that could aid students during testing. Therefore, district and campus personnel should carefully consider the use of these devices for the assessment, and any programs, applications, or resources that would compromise the assessment of the TEKS must be disabled or removed from the device. The following functions must be disabled for testing:

  • geometry functions;

  • graphing implicit equations and inequalities;

  • graphing inequalities (calculator or application automatically interprets the inequality symbol);

  • polynomial root finders;

  • simultaneous equation solvers; and

  • functions that automatically calculate mean absolute deviation.

• All memory must be cleared to factory default on any calculation device both before and after testing. If calculation devices are shared during the test, the memory must be cleared after each student uses it.

• For calculator devices that are applications, all internet capabilities must be disabled for use during testing. In addition, the calculator application being used must be locked down or in kiosk mode to prevent the use of other applications during testing. Refer to the Technology Guidelines page for more information regarding the security and validity of the assessments.

• Calculation devices with a computer algebra system (CAS) are not allowed unless the CAS is disabled.

• Calculation applications on smartphones and smartwatches are not allowed.

• Contact the manufacturer of the calculation device for specific assistance in appropriately preparing calculation devices for use during testing.