For math classes here at Muscatine High School, most students are required to buy their own TI-84 or TI-84 Plus Texas Instruments calculator in their freshman or sophomore year. There may be some calculators in classrooms for students to use, but teachers often heavily encourage students to purchase their own for outside homework and future classes.
Buying a calculator can be very helpful, but it is a large expense for high schooler’s to make themselves or even if their parents buy it for them. These TI-84 calculators can be anywhere from $100 to $150, plus possible shipping if you prefer to order them online. For students who cannot afford this, and their teachers do not provide them in the classroom, they are at a severe disadvantage for assignments and tests. On the other hand, some students get theirs for free because their older family members or friends no longer need them, making this necessity an easy find.
Some people think that the purchase is worth it as it tends to pay itself off for the years you can actually use it. However, others find they don’t use it as much as their teachers made them think they would so it may not actually have been worth their money.
There are other schools that provide calculators for those students who absolutely need them, but at the moment our system is not openly known for all classes here at MHS. So, in the end, this need for calculators is both good and bad for students but our system has yet to change without an outspoken need to do so.
