The top reported proficiency rate is 44% in Math. The lowest is 24% in English language arts.
Original Research by School Decision on Perry Jhs
Perry JHS serves seventh and eighth graders in Perry, Oklahoma, the county seat of Noble County. It is a conventional public school, not a charter or magnet, and its two-grade span makes it a focused middle-school stop before students move on to Perry High School. The district it belongs to, Perry Public Schools, oversees the town's campus arrangement: separate buildings for lower elementary, upper elementary, this junior high, and the high school.
The town itself is a small, historically rooted community. Its economy is anchored by Charles Machine Works, the manufacturer of Ditch Witch trenching equipment, which employs a substantial number of people and has recently expanded its facility, adding jobs. Wheat farming, agribusiness, cattle raising, and petroleum production have long been part of the local economy. A historic courthouse square and a Carnegie Library building that has been in continuous use for decades give Perry a defined civic center. The population has declined over recent decades, and no significant new housing developments were identified in publicly available information. Housing values in the area are below both the state and national benchmarks, and the estimated monthly mortgage cost is relatively modest, making homeownership more accessible than in many parts of the country.
The school's enrollment is modest for a two-grade junior high. The student body is predominantly white, with the next largest groups being students who identify as two or more races, American Indian or Alaska Native, and Hispanic. Asian and Black students each make up a small share. Data on the share of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch was not reported, nor was information on students served under an Individualized Education Program or those classified as English learners. These gaps mean a parent will want to ask the school directly about the level of economic diversity and the availability of special education and language support.
On state assessments, the picture is mixed. In math, proficiency rates sit at a moderate level for both seventh and eighth grade, and the school's overall proficiency across tested subjects and grades places it above the midpoint among the four districts in Noble County. In English language arts, however, proficiency is notably lower, especially for eighth graders. A parent may want to look into this further with the school, particularly regarding reading and writing support for students who need it. Science results for eighth grade were suppressed and not reported, so no conclusion can be drawn there. Because the state adjusted cut scores for math and ELA in this testing year, comparisons to past years are not reliable, and no multi-year trend data was available.
No data was reported on chronic absenteeism, discipline, or staffing ratios, so a parent should ask about student attendance patterns and how the school approaches classroom behavior and support. Likewise, there was no information on specific programs such as course offerings or extracurricular access; that is worth pursuing directly with the school office.
The school operates in a town where manufacturing provides stable employment but population loss suggests a slow-growth or contracting context. For families weighing a move to Perry, the housing market is affordable, and the junior high offers a small-scale environment with a predictable path into the local high school. The academic picture shows areas of strength in math relative to the county, but the ELA results are a soft spot that merits attention. The lack of reported data on several key measures—economic disadvantage, special education, attendance, and programming—means that a family interested in this school will get a fuller picture only by visiting and talking with staff.
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