A higher percentage of Montgomery County Public Schools students took the ACT last school year than ever before, according to data released last week by the school system.

More than 3,000 students took the test last year, according to the data.

According to the data, 24 percent more students took the exam in 2012 compared to 2008, or about 3,094 students compared to 2,355, respectively.

The percentage of African-American and Hispanic students taking the exam has increased the most in the last five years.

The average composite score — which takes into consideration scores from all four sections of English, mathematics, reading and science — in Montgomery County remains higher than the state and national averages, at 23.2. The state average is 22.1 and the national average is 21.1.

The percentage of students taking the ACT remains far below the percentage that take the SAT — about 7,000 graduates took the SAT in 2011.