Wareham High School’s dropout rate has climbed steadily the past three years, while the number of students attending fell 17 percent over the same period of time.

According to data released on Tuesday by the state Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Wareham’s 8.7 percent dropout rate ranks it number 516 out of 523 districts across the state.

(To see statewide results, click here.)

Of the 584 students in grades 9-12, 51 dropped out last year. That compares with 46 students (7.2 percent) who dropped out during the previous school year. Three years ago, 34 out of 704 students dropped out (4.8 percent).

Among neighboring districts, Wareham’s dropout rate is more than four times higher. Old Rochester Regional’s dropout rate for the 2014-15 school year is .5 percent, while Bourne’s is 2 percent.

Comparable districts to Wareham, according to state data, include: Chelsea (7.9 percent), Webster (6.8 percent), New Bedford (6.8 percent) and Southbridge (6.8 percent).

The district with the next highest rate compared to Wareham is Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter at 21.1 percent.

Speaking at Wednesday’s School Committee meeting, Superintendent Dr. Kimberly Shaver-Hood took issue with the state’s method for calculating the rate.

Of the 51 students who dropped out this year, Shaver-Hood said 19 of them were students that left the district anywhere from one to eight years ago, which isn’t reflected in the recently released data.

Shaver-Hood explained that students usually leave the district to attend another school. When those students fail to enroll then they are listed as dropping out of Wareham.

“If they don’t actually end up at that school then they’re in limbo,” said Shaver-Hood. “Since we’re the last known school [the student attended] we’re still held responsible…We have no way of tracking where that student actually went.”

Committee member Geoff Swett agreed, saying the state’s figures were suspect.

“It’s a really high percentage of the total and I’m not sure what the reason is,” said Swett. “It does seem to me that the state should come up with a better way of coming up with a number.”

Looking ahead, Shaver-Hood said new programs are in the works to address the dropout rate.

“We’re very concerned about our students that do struggle,” said Shaver-Hood, adding a program targeting at-risk ninth grades is in the works, as is a mentoring program. “We know we have students who need support and we’re addressing those issues.”