A new study from Digital Promise examined how “text-to-speech” affects performance on a National Assessment of Educational Progress geometry problem, finding a nuanced mix of accessibility benefits and distraction risk. The study analyzed how 8th graders used the tool during testing. Only 7% of students—about 2,000 of roughly 26,000—used the text-to-speech option. Students who chose it were more likely to be English learners, students in special education, students of color, or students with extended time accommodations. The study found that the lowest-performing students had a higher chance of answering correctly when they used text-to-speech, with performance improving as listening time increased up to a plateau at 25 seconds. However, mid-range performers were less likely to get questions right when the tool was used inconsistently, suggesting toggling can disrupt cognitive flow. Digital Promise’s findings also indicate no measurable difference for the highest-performing students at proficient or advanced levels. The researcher leading the study argues that teachers should train students on text-to-speech use ahead of test day, treating it as a problem-solving strategy rather than an on-the-fly accommodation.