The top reported proficiency rate is 67% in English language arts. The lowest is 28% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Perry Elementary School
Perry Elementary School sits along Route 1 in Perry, a small rural town on Passamaquoddy Bay where Maine meets the Canadian border. The town has no traditional downtown, no sidewalks, no transit. What it has is open farmland, a working waterfront at Gleason's Cove, blueberry barrens, and a quiet pace of life tied to the land and water. Part of the community falls within the Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Indian Reservation, and the school's enrollment reflects that geography: a predominantly white student body with a small share of American Indian or Alaska Native students. The nearest larger communities are Eastport and Calais, each a short drive in either direction along Route 1.
This is a very small school, serving pre-kindergarten through eighth grade in a single building. Class sizes at each grade level are intimate, the kind of setting where teachers know every student and families tend to know each other. Half the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch, which tracks with the broader economic picture of Washington County and Perry itself. The town has seen slight population contraction rather than growth, and no major employers or new developments have emerged in recent years. Housing here sits well below both state and national benchmarks, which makes purchase costs relatively accessible, though the estimated monthly mortgage at current interest rates still represents a real commitment for a household earning near the area's median income.
Academically, the most recent state assessment results from the Maine Through Year Assessment show a mixed but not discouraging picture for a school of this size. English language arts is the clear strength, with a solid majority of tested students reaching proficiency. Math lands closer to the middle, with roughly half of tested students proficient or above. Science is the soft spot, with a smaller portion of students meeting the proficiency bar. The tested groups are small, so a handful of students moving above or below the line shifts the picture noticeably. Average scale scores were not reported, and no multi-year trend data was available, so it is hard to say whether these results represent a stable pattern or a single-year snapshot. A parent may want to ask the school how it approaches science instruction and whether recent changes in curriculum or staffing might be a factor.
No data was available on special education enrollment, English learner populations, discipline, course access, staffing ratios, or attendance. This is a common gap for very small schools where reporting thresholds or staffing structures limit what gets published. The absence does not mean those services are absent, only that the public record is thin. Perry Public Schools is a single-school district, and the district brief turned up no recent referendums, curriculum overhauls, or policy shifts of lasting impact. What the district appears to offer is continuity and stability rather than rapid change.
Perry Elementary fits a particular kind of family. If you are drawn to rural Downeast Maine, value a school small enough that every teacher knows your child, and are comfortable with the tradeoffs that come with a remote location and limited program breadth, this is a grounded option. The ELA results are genuinely strong for a school of this size. The science results warrant a direct conversation with the school. The housing market is among the more affordable in the state, and the surrounding community, while quiet, has real anchors in its waterfront, lake, and annual harvest fair. What Perry does not offer is urban convenience, a wide range of specialized programs, or a large peer group. For some families that is the point. For others it will be a reason to look elsewhere.
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