Rally Day Information

Rally Headquarters will be located on the third floor of the Student Union. The phone number to the District Rally Office on Rally Day only will be (985) 549-2622. Questions regarding District Rally prior to Rally Day can be directed to (985) 549-5637.

School coordinators and bus drivers are invited to enjoy the hospitality room located on the third floor of the Student Union in room C.

Can I use a calculator?

You may use a calculator on the LHSRA Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics tests, but not on any of the other tests offered by the LHSRA.  You are not required to use a calculator.  All problems on the tests can be solved without a calculator.

WARNING: You are responsible for knowing if your calculator is permitted.  If you use a prohibited calculator, or you use a calculator on any test other than the Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics Tests, you will be dismissed and your answer document will not be scored.  If it is determined later that you used a prohibited calculator or that you used a calculator on a test other than the mathematics, chemistry, and physics tests, your scores will be cancelled.  The TI-89 is the most common calculator taken from students who bring this model to
rally events.

If you wish to use a calculator, you are responsible for bringing it to the test center and for making sure it works properly. The test center will not provide a backup calculator or batteries. You may not share your calculator with anyone else.  You may bring a backup calculator, but you may not have more than one on your desk or in operation at a time.

You may use your calculator only while you are working on the Mathematics, Chemistry, and Physics tests.  At all other times, it must be turned off and put away.  If you finish the tests before time is called, you must turn your calculator off and wait quietly. Calculators with games or other functions may not be used – you may use only the mathematics functions of your calculator.

Permitted Calculators

• Any four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator, unless it has features described in the Prohibited Calculators list below.
• TI-Nspire (non-CAS) and Sharp EL 9600
• Calculators with letter keys not in QWERTY format
• For models on the Calculators Permitted with Modification list, you will be required to modify some of the calculator’s features

Prohibited Calculators

• Texas Instruments:  all model numbers beginning with TI-89 and TI-92, and TI-Nspire CAS
• Hewlett-Packard:  HP Prime, HP 48GII and all model numbers beginning with HP 40G, HP 49G, or HP 50G
• Casio:  fx-CP400 (ClassPad 400), Algebra fx 2.0, ClassPad 300, ClassPad 330, and all model numbers beginning with CFX – 9970G
• Calculators with built-in computer algebra systems
• Pocket organizers
• Handheld, tablet, or laptop computers, including PDAs
• Electronic Writing Pads or Pen-Input devices
• Calculators built into cell phones or other electronic communication devices
• Calculators with a typewriter keypad (keys in QWERTY format)

Calculators Permitted with Modification

These types of calculators are permitted, but only after they are modified as noted:

• Calculators with paper tape – Remove the tape.
• Calculators that can hold programs or documents – remove all documents and remove all programs that have computer algebra system functionality
• Calculators that make noise – turn off the sound
• Calculators that can communicate wirelessly with other calculators – Completely cover the infrared data port with heavy opaque material such as duct tape or electricians tape (includes Hewlett-Packard HP 38G series, HP 39G series, and HP 48G).
• Calculators that have power cords – remove all power/electrical cords.

NB: LHSRA Calculator Usage Policy is adapted from Preparing for the ACT, 2014 – 2015.

Participants who arrive after posted event times may not participate. Students are encouraged to arrive to the testing room at least ten minutes prior to the posted event time.  In the event that unforeseeable circumstances prevent a significant number
of participants from multiple schools from arriving by the posted event time, the following steps may be taken: 

• High School Coordinators are responsible for contacting the Director of the District Literary Rally to inform them of the circumstances
• At the discretion of the Director of the District Rally, test times may be adjusted as applicable

Certain educational aides are not permitted, i.e., slide rules, dictionaries, English handbooks, etc. A Periodic Table will be available in the classroom for those students taking the Chemistry test. Calculators are allowed. Please see the LHSRA Calculator Usage Policy guidelines.