Arizona students scored above the national average on the SAT college-readiness exam last school year.
Nearly 21,000 students in the state took the SAT, which tests the academic skills and knowledge that students acquire in high school.
It also shows how well students can apply their knowledge, a factor that educators and researchers agree is critical to success in college coursework.
In the area of critical reading, the national average score was 501. In Arizona, it was 519.
Arizona students also beat the national math score average of 516 with a mean score of 525.
In writing, Arizona had a mean score of 500, compared to the national score of 492.
"This continues to show the positive and powerful impact of our tireless efforts to expand rigor in Arizona's schools," said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne.
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The diversity of test-takers in Arizona also increased, and Arizona's Hispanic and black students outperformed their national counterparts in all sections of the SAT.
