Wisconsin high school graduates scored third nationally on ACT college admissions scores in data released Aug. 17, and a record number of them took the test. Students’ composite score of 22.2 ranked the state third nationally among ACT-taking states, the Department of Public Instruction said. The number of 2011 graduates who took the ACT test increased to 71 percent, up from 69 percent in 2010.

“Wisconsin’s ACT scores are high because Wisconsin’s high-quality schools do an excellent job of preparing students for the future,” said Mary Bell, a Wisconsin Rapids teacher and president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council. “In these times of extreme political polarization, we need to recognize and appreciate the fact that Wisconsin has many great and talented educators shaping our students’ futures.”