Oak Harbor School District is once again leading the pack in Washington state academics.

According to data released by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the 2014-15 school year, Oak Harbor High School had a 79.3 percent four-year graduation rate among homeless students.

That’s the third-highest statewide in relation to the overall number of homeless students enrolled, and well above the state average of 52 percent.

The news comes in tandem with the school’s recent exemplary review by U.S. News & World Report, which ranked OHHS in the top third of all public schools nationwide. OHHS is also boasting its highest overall graduation rate to date — 92 percent of all students graduate within five years.

Superintendent Lance Gibbon said he did not anticipate the news, though it wasn’t altogether surprising given the extensive effort put forth by district staff to support all students in their success, including those lacking stable and safe housing.

The school’s five-year graduation rate among homeless students was 78.3 percent, not including students enrolled in reengagement programs.

According to data presented to the school board April 25, thus far in 2016,  226 students enrolled in the district had reported experiencing homeless as defined by the McKinney-Vento Act, 64 of whom were high schoolers and 26 of whom were seniors.

Seventeen of these seniors were currently still enrolled with the district at the time of the report.

Fifty-seven of those 226 students were unaccompanied at the time data was compiled.

In 2015, there were 238 students who reported experiencing homelessness within the year, while in 2014 there were 213.

There were about 35,500 homeless students attending Washington public schools in 2015, according to the state superintendent’s office.

The data was presented by Vivian Rogers-Decker, the district’s homeless liaison, who maintains a detailed database on the students and families with whom she works.

Under the McKinney-Vento Act, Washington state receives $950,000 annually to staff such liaisons to work with homeless students and their families.

In order to receive funding through the act, states must comply with the act in removing barriers to enrollment and education and providing transportation for homeless students.

Homelessness is defined under the act as “individuals who lack a fixed, regular and adequate nighttime residence.”

Among other factors, under the act, homeless students are provided transportation to and from the school should they move out-of-district to neighboring areas like Skagit County or Central or South Whidbey after enrolling.

A sense of stability, if only in their academics, is vital, Gibbon said.

Both Rogers-Decker and Gibbon credited a highly invested and supportive network of school district staff, including teachers, counsellors and nurses, with the high success rate among its homeless population.

“I think the counsellors do a really good job of trying to connect these kids to supportive services and making sure their basic needs are met so they can focus on school,” Rogers-Decker said.

“Meeting basic needs is fundamental to student success,” Gibbon said, explaining that school district staff members, as well as community partners, work to ensure students receive adequate food, clothing, school supplies and other items regardless of economic hardship.

Rogers-Decker also maintains a spreadsheet detailing students’ supplemental needs, smaller items such as a cap and gown for graduation, a yearbook, or help filling out applications for financial aid and colleges.

Though the latter aren’t necessarily immediately related to the students’ academic success, Rogers-Decker said these incentives are helpful for some students in encouraging them to continue to work toward graduation despite their hardship.

Gibbon also noted that, in 2013, certain support programs which had previously been cut were reinstated, including after-school tutoring and computer lab access with subsequent free transportation for the students afterward.

The Apex program, which allows students to make up a failed class on a more flexible schedule, was also reinstated.

Students at OHHS can also attend through the Midway High School program, which allows for remote and flexible-schedule classes, particularly valuable to students who must hold jobs to support themselves or their families.

Qualifying students enrolled in this program are still able to receive free breakfast and lunch at the high school.

“I think we have a really supportive school district. I know that’s something people say a lot to sound good, but I really do mean that,” Rogers-Decker said.

“We care for every child, but we recognize that some of our students have more complex needs, and it takes a team to help address all of those needs in order for that student to be successful,” Gibbon said. “We’ve got a staff that does an excellent job, going above and beyond to help support those students.”