Austin students are doing well when it comes to the ACT.

Austin Public School students scored an average of 22.5 on the ACT this past year, down slightly from the 22.8 average in 2009 and slightly behind the 22.9 statewide average this year according to data released Wednesday. The maximum score is a 36. Out of the 44,952 students who took the test in Minnesota, 166 students in Austin took the test.

Though the scores are only decimal points down, three more students took the test than in 2009, which is good news for the district.

“We’ve seen our participation numbers grow,” said John Alberts, director of educational services.

That’s one indicator that more students are thinking about going to post-secondary school, according to Alberts.

Yet comparing student data to state and national data is difficult, as only 27 states participate in the ACT.

For the seventh straight year, Minnesota students ranked No. 1 among 27 states where more than half of recent high school graduates had taken the college-entrance test.

In Minnesota, about 72 percent of graduating students take the test. The national average was 21.1.

Minnesota Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius said Tuesday that she was pleased to see the state at the top of the results list again but that she’s disappointed more students aren’t taking the test, particularly low-income students of color. Students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch can take the test at no charge up to two times.

Several states mandate that high school students take the test, and Cassellius said she would like to see Minnesota move in that direction.

“Right now, students who are opting to take the test are mostly white, more affluent students,” Cassellius said. “We should have all students taking this test. And not because it’s a test, but because it gives students and parents good information to help prepare them for college.”

Only preliminary data was released today. Alberts said students’ individualized scores will be sent at a later date, where district and state officials can analyze whether the significant achievement gap between white and non-white students grew in ACT scores this past year.

Iowa posted the second-highest composite score of 22.3, and Wisconsin came in just behind with 22.2.

Several states had higher composite scores than Minnesota and its neighbors, but fewer of their students take the ACT. Massachusetts had the best with 24.2, but only 22 percent of its graduates were tested.

Students on the West and East Coasts are more likely to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) than the ACT.

The ACT consists of exams in English, math, reading and science and includes benchmarks that determine students’ readiness for college.

Results showed that about 64 percent of this year’s Minnesota graduates likely will need remedial help in college for at least one subject, particularly science. About 78 percent of Minnesota students met the English benchmark, with 64 percent passing Reading, 62 percent in Math and 43 percent in Science.

Nationally, 75 percent did not meet college-readiness benchmarks.

That means students are not ready for first-year college courses such as English composition, college algebra, introductory social science and biology.

More than 1.6 million of this year’s graduates — or about half the nation’s entire graduating class — took the ACT, a record for the seventh consecutive year.

The average composite score inched up a tad this year to 21.1, compared with 21 in 2010.

—The Associated Press contributed to this report.