Perry Comm School District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Perry, Iowa - 3 schools

An equity score of 85/100 ranks Perry Comm School District #11 of 303 districts in Iowa (state average 50). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $13,640 per pupil, Perry Comm School District ranks #67 of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending (Iowa districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

1,812
Total Enrollment
3
Schools
$13,640
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined, High
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Perry Comm School District operates 3 public schools serving 1,812 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Iowa. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Dallas County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $13,640 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 327 Iowa districts by per-pupil spending. See how Iowa compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 29.3% local, 54.2% state, and 16.5% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 85/100, ranked #11 of 303 in Iowa against a state average of 50, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 3 schools offering Advanced Placement (4 AP courses district-wide), a 258.7:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 29.9% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 51.0% Hispanic or Latino, 39.9% White, 4.7% African American across the district's schools. Its most demographically mixed campus is Perry Elementary, with a diversity index of 59.1/100.

Its largest campus is Perry Elementary, enrolling 816 students (47% of the district's total enrollment).

Perry Elementary accounts for 45.0% of all Perry Comm School District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Perry Comm School District a distant remainder — means Perry Comm School District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Perry Comm School District school enrollment varies 2.2× across entities

Perry Comm School District school enrollment ranges from 370 students (lowest) to 816 students (highest), a spread of 446 students. That relatively narrow ratio reflects an unusually homogeneous campus portfolio, most districts have a wider mix of school sizes. Per-school staffing ratios, programme availability, and capital-renovation cycles often diverge inside the same district based on enrollment shape.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Perry Comm School District has higher-than-average Title I eligibility — 50.4% of the population qualifies for free or reduced-price lunch

free or reduced-price lunch eligibility is the federal threshold for Title I funding allocations, established under the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA, 2015). Areas above 75% eligibility receive concentration grants on top of the basic Title I formula. Regions with eligibility this high typically draw a substantially larger federal funding share relative to their local tax base, which can either offset or reinforce existing gaps depending on allocation policy.

Source: ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system ESSA Title I Part A; ED EDFacts file system

Perry Comm School District student-counselor ratio is 259:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Perry Comm School District is typically wider than the Perry Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Perry Comm School District chronic absenteeism rate is 29.9% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism

chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Perry Comm School District is typically wider than the Perry Comm School District-aggregate figure suggests.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22 NCES Civil Rights Data Collection 2021-22

Where does the funding come from?

16.5%
Federal
54.2%
State
29.3%
Local

Funding Equity

85
Equity Score
11 / 303
State Rank
50
State Average

This district scores well on funding equity, with balanced funding sources and good resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 3 schools in Perry Comm School District.

White 39.9%
Hispanic or Latino 51.0%
African American 4.7%
Asian 1.3%
Multiracial 2.3%
Other 0.8%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Student-body diversity

Average diversity index 57.7/100

Average Simpson diversity index across Perry Comm School District's schools, above the Iowa average of 33.8.

Most mixed schools

  1. 1 Perry Elementary 59.1
  2. 2 Perry Middle School 58.7
  3. 3 Perry High School 55.2

Programs & Resources

1 / 3
Schools with AP
4 AP courses total
258.7:1
Student-Counselor Ratio
29.9%
Chronically Absent

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Perry Comm School District

School Enrollment
Perry Elementary
816
Perry High School
549
Perry Middle School
370

How Perry Comm School District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Iowa districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Carroll Comm School District Similar size Similar spending More locally funded
Webster City Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Fort Madison Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Keokuk Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix
Mount Pleasant Comm School District Similar size Similar spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Perry Comm School District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Iowa

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Compare Perry Comm School District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Des Moines Independent Comm School District →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Perry Comm School District?

Perry Comm School District has 3 schools, including 1 combined, 1 high, 1 middle. Total enrollment is 1,812 students.

How much does Perry Comm School District spend per student?

Perry Comm School District spends $13,640 per student. The district has an equity score of 85/100, ranking #11 in Iowa.

What is the demographic composition of Perry Comm School District?

Perry Comm School District students are 51.0% Hispanic or Latino, 39.9% White, 4.7% African American, 1.3% Asian, averaged across 3 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Perry Comm School District?

Perry Comm School District has an equity score of 85/100, ranking #11 out of 303 districts in Iowa.