Original Research by School Decision on Perry High School
Perry High School serves grades nine through twelve in the small city of Perry, roughly a forty-minute drive northwest of Des Moines. The school sits within the Perry Community School District and is a regular public high school. The city itself has a traditional downtown centered on Willis Avenue with shops, restaurants, and local businesses, and it offers a mix of historic homes, newer residential developments, and rental properties. Perry’s population has grown slowly over the past two decades, but the community faced a major economic shock in early 2024 when the Tyson Foods pork processing plant, the city’s primary employer, closed. That event reshaped the local job landscape though the school district continues to operate without reported disruption.
The high school enrolls a moderate-sized student body for its grade band. The student population is notably diverse: a majority of students identify as Hispanic, with a substantial share of white students, and smaller numbers of Black, Asian, multiracial, and other backgrounds. More than half of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a common indicator of economic need. The school’s peer environment reflects a community that is both ethnically varied and economically mixed.
State assessment results from the most recent single year of testing show that in English language arts and in science, the share of students meeting proficiency standards was solidly above the majority. In mathematics, the proficiency rate was lower, with just over half of students reaching the bar. Because only one year of data is available, there is no trend to indicate whether performance is improving, holding steady, or declining. A parent may want to ask the school about multi-year academic patterns and how the school supports students in math.
Information on programs is not available in the data provided. There is no reported detail on advanced placement courses, dual credit opportunities, career and technical education pathways, or other special offerings. The same gap applies to graduation rate, chronic absenteeism, discipline rates, and staffing ratios. A parent interested in the breadth of the academic program or in non-academic supports should follow up directly with the school.
Housing in Perry is affordable relative to state and national benchmarks. Home values are lower than the Iowa average, and rents are also below the state median. The city’s proximity to the Des Moines metro area, combined with Dallas County’s status as one of the faster-growing counties in Iowa, gives Perry a commuter-friendly character. The closure of the Tyson plant, however, makes the local economic outlook less certain than it was a few years ago.
For a family considering Perry High School, the picture is one of a solidly performing school in a small, affordable city with a diverse student body. The academic strengths are in literacy and science, while math is an area where the school reports lower proficiency. The absence of program and outcome data means that many of the questions a family might ask about college readiness, career pathways, and student well-being cannot be answered from the available records. The school and district are the right sources for that information.
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