PITTSBURGH — Average scores on the ACT college exam improved slightly for Pennsylvania's high school class of 2012, but the state still lags behind the national average in the number of students who take the test.

The scores, released today, show that 18 percent of Pennsylvania graduates took the test, up 1 percent from 2011. Nationally, 52 percent take it.

Pennsylvania students also improved their scores slightly in all the major test subjects. The average composite score was 22.4 this year, up from 22.3 in 2011. English, reading, math and science benchmark scores all increased by one-tenth of a percentage point, too.

Pennsylvania students scored above the national average composite score and all the benchmark subjects.

PITTSBURGH — The Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh is preparing to lay off workers to avoid a $2.3 million deficit for the 2012-13 fiscal year.A letter to the diocesan staff from the Rev. Ronald Lengwin, the vicar general, says $1 million has already been saved by 15 employees who have retired, resigned or been reassigned. Still, more of the diocese's 180 clergy and lay employees may have to be laid off.Lengwin wouldn't comment on other possible cuts, because the Diocesan Finance Council must still review those possibilities on Sept. 6.Lengwin says the diocese is suffering from more Catholics dying than are being born, which has caused revenues from parishes to be flat while costs increase.The six-county diocese has 635,000 parishioners, down from 815,000 in 1993.

PITTSBURGH — The board of the Pittsburgh-area's transit agency has ratified a contract containing union concessions that will head off job cuts and service reductions as state and county officials announced more funding for the agency.The state will provide $35 million more to the Port Authority of Allegheny County this coming year. Gov. Tom Corbett is committed to finding more state money for future years, though officials haven't said what that might be. The county also plans to invest $4.5 million more from drink tax surpluses and a share of county sales tax money.The pact covering 2,300 workers includes a wage freeze, more pension contributions by workers, and health care concessions.The Port Authority board on Tuesday approved the pact and rescinded a 35 percent cut in service and 500 layoffs scheduled next month.

HARRISBURG — The state’s largest teachers union on Tuesday won a second chance to have a lower court consider whether its members’ rights would be violated by disclosure of their home addresses.The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled 5-1 to send the closely watched lawsuit by the Pennsylvania State Education Association and several of its members regarding the Right-to-Know Law back to Commonwealth Court for further proceedings.Commonwealth Court had thrown out the lawsuit, but the justices reversed, saying there had to be a way for the teachers to bring the Office of Open Records into court to address issues that affect them, particularly whether a personal security exception in the law prevented disclosure.The majority agreed with the union that the Office of Open Records, “may fairly be regarded as an indispensable party to their efforts to secure a just, timely and meaningful judicial resolution of their claims.”Office of Open Records executive director Terry Mutchler and a union spokesman both said the decision was being reviewed to determine the next steps.