ACT spokesman Ken Gullette said it is difficult to pinpoint reasons for the upswing in scores but offered some theories:

"We certainly hope its because of raising expectations, raising standards, increasing connections between learning standards and what's being taught, and seeing that students are taking challenging courses in order to prepare for college," Gullette said.

Still, significant numbers of Utah students score below college-readiness benchmark scores - the minimum score a student needs on a subject test to predict a 75 percent chance of earning a C or higher in a corresponding college course.

"Nobody can think that we are not a long way from where we need to be when you look at the percent of kids graduating who are still unprepared for college course work," Gullette said.

The percentage of Utah students meeting college-readiness benchmarks exceeds the national average in all subject areas - but in mathematics, the rest of the nation is catching up.

Of 21,561 Utah students who took the ACT prior to graduating in 2006, 74 percent met the English benchmark and 60 percent met the reading benchmark. But only 43 percent met the mark for math and a mere 31 percent hit the science benchmark.

The ACT report held good and bad news for Utah's minority students. Latinos, Utah's largest minority sub-group, had a composite average of 19.3 on the ACT - well above the national average of 18.6 for Latinos. But only 4 percent of Utah students taking the ACT identified themselves as Latino, even though Latinos make up 9 percent of Utah's school population.

ACT scores for Asians and Pacific Islanders were combined in the report and fell below the combined national average for those groups despite increased scores in Utah between 2005 and 2006.

"I'm glad for higher scores across the sub-groups," said Patti Harrington, state school superintendent, "but what we want are more kids taking the test and more taking rigorous course work to prepare for college course work."

Harrington's wish aligns with action taken last month by the Utah State Board of Education, which increased high school graduation requirements in the core subjects of English, math and science. Students entering eighth grade this fall will be the first to graduate under the new standard. By then, all Utah students could be required to take the ACT before graduating; 67.8 percent of graduating seniors took it in 2006.

Harrington said the Utah State Office of Education is studying possible benefits of replacing Utah's high school exit exam, the Utah Basic Skills Competency Test, with the ACT. Based on results of the study, the Utah State Board of Education could recommend that the Legislature require all high school students to take the ACT.

Harrington thinks such a plan could help thousands of young Utahns see themselves differently - as future college students. "I think you preserve hope by helping kids see their potential," she said.