For the first time, an electronic calculator application has been authorized for use by students during a Texas state assessment. Eighth-graders across the state can use either a graphing calculator or a graphing calculator application available on an electronic tablet on the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) grade 8 mathematics test. Texas Education Agency (TEA) Commissioner of Education Michael Williams informed superintendents across the state recently that the new policy will go into effect on a pilot basis for the 2014-2015 school year. For the pilot year, the TEA will still prohibit the use of smart phones.