The top reported proficiency rate is 73% in Science. The lowest is 55% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Perry Elementary School
Perry Elementary School is a regular public school in the Boston Public Schools district, serving Pre-K through sixth grade from its location on East 7th Street in the South Boston neighborhood. It is one of the neighborhood’s elementary options, drawing from a densely populated urban area that has seen intense development and demographic change. The school’s student body is predominantly white, with Hispanic and Black students each making up a substantial share and a smaller Asian presence. Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility data was not reported, so that picture of family economic circumstances is not available from this source. A parent looking at this school should note that household incomes in South Boston vary widely, given the neighborhood’s mix of long-term residents and newer, often wealthier arrivals, and the zip code’s housing costs are high — well above state and national averages.
Academically, Perry Elementary shows a clear upward trajectory on state assessments over the past several years. In English language arts, the share of students meeting proficiency standards has risen steadily from a modest baseline several years ago to a level that now sits comfortably higher. Math performance followed a similar pattern: after a dip in the pandemic years, it climbed to a strong point and then settled at a still-solid level. Science results, drawn from a smaller tested group, are notably strong. The school’s overall proficiency index — a composite across subjects — places it in the top quartile among districts in Suffolk County, a competitive set that includes many Boston schools. This is a meaningful strength. The school participates in the Massachusetts NextGen MCAS assessments, with participation rates near one hundred percent, which gives the results full credibility.
The school is a small one, with enrollment under two hundred students spread across grades Pre-K through six. Class sizes are modest. Because it serves only elementary and middle grades, there is no high school graduation rate to report. The school offers no high school programs such as AP or dual enrollment, as those are not applicable to its grade band. A parent looking for information on course access, staffing ratios, or discipline was not able to find that in the available data. The district brief for Boston Public Schools turned up no recent district-level policy or budget changes of lasting note, though that absence does not mean none occurred; it means they were not surfaced in this search.
South Boston itself is a walkable, transit-connected urban neighborhood with a strong commercial corridor along Broadway. The Seaport District has seen explosive growth in technology and innovation jobs, while older industrial employers like Gillette remain. Property values in parts of South Boston, particularly near Castle Island, have risen to among the highest in the city. Rents are also high. The neighborhood has waterfront parks, beaches, and civic anchors including Dorchester Heights and Castle Island. For a family considering this school, the neighborhood offers dense urban amenities and a strong sense of community, but the housing market is expensive and the school is part of a large district where placement and program details matter. The upward academic trend and strong proficiency outcomes suggest a school that is performing well for its student body, and the small enrollment means families may find a more intimate setting than at larger Boston elementary schools.
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