The Merrill Area Public Schools announced last week that the district’s average composite ACT score has increased to 22.3, surpassing the state average of 22.1.

“I am very pleased with our students’ scores on the ACT,” said Dr. Lisa Snyder, superintendent. “These numbers are one indicator that MAPS students are able to successfully compete with their peers in other parts of the state and that our district’s continuous improvement efforts are paying off.”

The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement exam designed to measure the academic skills taught in schools. It is regarded as important predictor of success in first-year college courses, with all four-year colleges and universities in the U.S. taking ACT scores into account as part of prospective students’ academic portfolios.

Most four-year universities in the U.S. also use ACT scores to make course placement decisions. The ACT is administered in all 50 states and is taken by the majority of high school graduates in 27 of them. Approximately 46 percent of MAPS seniors took the ACT.

“We know that challenging coursework is critically important for all students, whether they intend to pursue a college or university degree or not,” said Shannon Murray, principal of Merrill High School. “Our students’ scores on the ACT are a testament to their efforts, as well as to those of their parents and teachers, and suggest that our students are ready for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.”

MAPS students who took advanced mathematics courses, including algebra 1 and 2, geometry and pre-calculus, scored significantly better on the ACT. Their average of 25.5 was considerably higher than the statewide average of 22.6 for students who took the same classes.