The Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) Class of 2013 consistently outperformed graduates across Maryland and the nation on all sections of the ACT, according to the ACT, Inc. annual report released Wednesday, August 21, 2013. In 2013, 29 percent of MCPS graduates took the ACT exam. According to the ACT, Inc. report, ACT participation among MCPS students has steadily increased over the past five years, from 2,602 in 2009 to 3,146 in 2013. Participation by Black or African American students rose from 488 students in 2009 to 609 students in 2013; while Hispanic/Latino students saw an increase in participation from 258 students in 2009 to 415 students in 2013. Similarly graduates outscored their state and national peers in each of the four subject areas: English, mathematics, reading, and science. The average composite score for MCPS graduates was slightly higher in 2013 compared to 2009 (23.4 and 23.2, respectively). The average composite score for graduates in Maryland also saw a slight increase during the same time frame (22.1 in 2009 compared to 22.3 in 2013) and across the nation there was a slight decrease from 21.1. in 2009 to 20.9 in 2013. Benchmark scores established by ACT, Inc. indicate a student's readiness for college-level coursework in English composition, algebra, social science, and biology. In 2013, 45 percent of MCPS graduates who took the ACT tested college ready in all four subject areas, compared with 36 percent and 26 percent, respectively, of graduates across Maryland and the nation. The tables attached to this memorandum provide data on ACT participation and performance for the graduates in the Class of 2013 by student groups and by high schools. The results are based on MCPS-verified records and may differ slightly from data reported by ACT.