PARIS — High school graduation rates in SAD 17 have increased steadily from almost 69 percent in 2009 to about 86 percent last year.

That puts Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School slightly above the statewide average. It can also boast being one of 14 schools in Maine that graduated 100 percent of its students not considered “socioeconomically disadvantaged.”

There’s no “silver bullet” that’s boosted the school’s graduation rate, Principal Ted Moccia said. A combination of education initiatives, inventive programming and student engagement have contributed to the school’s success, he said.

Still, challenges exist, especially for socioeconomically disadvantaged students, who make up about 59 percent of the school population in 2013, according to Maine Department of Education.

DOE statistics show that the graduation rate for students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch – a commonly-used proxy for poverty – was 78 percent in 2012.

That is still a substantial improvement from 2009, when the graduation rate for students eligible for free or reduced-price lunch was only 57 percent, according to data provided by DOE.

Facilities, programming and student engagement are all part of the district’s improved graduation rate, high school administrators said.

“I think there’s just a lot more things that are offered in this facility to meet student needs and student interests,” Oxford Hills Technical School Director Shawn Lambert said.

Most school districts have about 5 percent of their students enrolled in technical programs, Lambert said. At Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School, 45 percent of students are.

The opportunities offered at the this school give students a chance to engage deeply with subjects they’re interested in, Moccia said. If they’re excited and engaged, there’s a better chance they’ll graduate.

“If we can tap into what a kid is passionate about, they’re going to stick around. They’re not going to leave,” he said.

The school has also extended additional help and personal monitoring for students who are struggling with course work.

Interacting with a teacher individually can help students build confidence and become more comfortable accessing their course work. Moccia credits the high school staff for helping students feel comfortable with the course work, leading to fewer drop-outs.

Helping students transition from Oxford Hills Middle School in Paris is also becoming a focus in the district.

The theory is that by giving incoming freshmen a close look at what will be expected of them at the high school will better prepare them for how to navigate the next four years.

Despite strides in graduation rates, some students will continue to struggle, Moccia and Lambert said.

Students’ academic achievement and disciplinary history data can even be used to pinpoint the students who will struggle in high school as early as fifth or sixth grade, Moccia said.

“A student that is far below their grade level in their reading ability and their math ability when they reach high school will struggle,” Lambert said.

More frequently, however, students are discovering that a high school education is crucial in the real world, Lambert said, even if it takes them until senior year to realize how important it is.

High school staff are constantly getting students to think about their future and where they’d like their degree to take them, Moccia said. As long as they can keep students engaged, there’s a good chance they’ll succeed, he added.

“You just have to make them think about it,” Moccia said. “If they’re thinking about it, that’s the answer; they’ll get it.”