Wiscasset High School's graduation rate is still Maine's worst, but its rate and the overall one for Maine are getting better. That's the latest information released April 3 by Principal Deb Taylor and the state, based on the 2012-2013 school year.

Wiscasset High's rate climbed slightly, from 61.5 percent two years ago to 63 percent last year, according to Taylor.

“While we are glad to see that the trend is upward, we know we have more work to do,” Taylor writes in an email response to questions from the Wiscasset Newspaper. “We continue to work on this issue through curriculum revision, programming changes, and dropout prevention committee meetings. We are also constantly working to best serve those students who come to Wiscasset High School after being disinvited from other area schools.”

Taylor cited challenges those students may have in getting a diploma. 

“These young people often come to us credit deficient and must overcome the disruption to their education caused by changing schools mid-way through their high school career,” Taylor states in the email. “Our small size, faculty-student relationships, and programming flexibility allows us to help support these students in their pursuit of a degree.”

Regional School Unit 12 Superintendent Howie Tuttle praised school staff for the improved rate. “It’s almost an impossible task,” he said about helping the students disinvited from other schools make it to graduation. “But the staff is working really hard.”

Maine's overall graduation rate rose to 86.36 percent, a Maine Department of Education press release states. Seventy-three of 133 high schools improved their rates.