Can students use speech to text on standardized tests?

Often yes, but only through the approval process for that test. A school plan or an IEP does not decide it. Each testing body publishes its own list of allowable accommodations, sets its own conditions and approves requests through its own system. The rules below are the ones we read on 16 October 2026. Check the current version before you rely on them, because the lists change between test years.

The ACT lists speech-to-text software, with conditions

ACT's published list of allowable accommodations includes speech-to-text software. The entry applies only if the student is registered for the writing test, unless the student uses dictation for the full test, and it is given in an individual room ¹. In practice, a student who wants it on the whole test should check the dictation rule first, because the conditions depend on which sections the student takes.

If a student needs a tool that is not on the list, the request still has a route. The school official asks for it in ACT's Test Accessibility and Accommodations (TAA) system, and ACT considers it individually ². The document does not say how long that takes, so ask early.

The SAT allows dictation, but not with a tool inside the test app

The College Board says most students who use a writer or scribe on paper tests are approved for a writer/scribe or dictation on the digital test ³. The important detail is where the speech recognition runs. Approved dictation is not a feature inside the testing app. It is the device's own speech-to-text, or the student's own software, so the student's computer set-up matters ⁴.

A human scribe is the fallback for students who cannot test with dictation, and the College Board says such approvals are rare ⁵. Plan for the dictation route first, and test it on the same device the student will use on test day.

State tests require named programs and training

State assessments set their own steps. Colorado is one example. Schools that use speech to text on state tests must disclose the name of the program students will use ⁶, and a separate training must be given for each speech-to-text application or program ⁷. The same program name and training must match the tool the student actually uses on the test.

Because state rules differ, ask the test coordinator for the current state form and its deadline. Do not assume that a tool approved for classwork is approved for the state test.

A comparison of the main tests

What to do before test day

Use this order, because approvals must be in place before the test date.

1. Find the test's current list. Read the list for the exact test and year, and note any conditions on sections or room.
2. Make the request early. Send it through the test's own system, such as TAA for the ACT or SSD Online for the SAT, and ask the school test coordinator to confirm it.
3. Name the program. Give the test the exact program or device the student will use, and where the state asks for it, the training record.
4. Practice on the test set-up. Run full sessions with the same device, microphone and software that will be used on the day.

For the wider picture, read our guide to speech to text for students with disabilities, part of our accessibility and health section. The school-side approval is covered in our question on whether speech to text is an IEP or 504 accommodation. For students in college, our question on how college students get speech to text covers proctored exams.

This is information, not legal advice. The testing body makes the decision on each request.