Enrollment
370
Iowa · 2024-25 NCES data
Middle school (grades 6-8) · Perry, IA
Perry Middle School
Federal NCES profile for Perry Middle School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 51/100.
2024-25 NCES dataMiddle school (grades 6-8)NCES 192253001356
👥 S:T ratio 43
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 63
📋 Attendance 30
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Perry Middle School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools.
- #1 of 3
- public schools in Perry · Resource Index
- 51
- Resource Index · Higher
- 14.2:1
- students per teacher
- 53.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Perry Middle School has class sizes near the Iowa median. Computed live against every Iowa school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Perry Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Perry, IA.
School address
District: Perry Comm School District · Iowa
NCES ID 192253001356 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
26.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.2:1
vs 14.8:1 Iowa avg
-4% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
53.4%
vs 36.4% Iowa avg
+47% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Perry Middle School compares with Iowa and U.S. medians
What stands out at Perry Middle School
Perry Middle School is a higher-need, mid-sized middle school in Perry, Iowa, enrolling 370 students.
At 14.2:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the Iowa median, within a few percentage points of the 14.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 53.4% of students eligible for free meals.
With 370 students, its enrollment sits close to the Iowa median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 1,322 scored Iowa schools.
Against 235 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #46.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (49%) and White (41%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 59/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 185 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 28.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.5% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Perry Comm School District also operates Perry Elementary (816 students) and Perry High School (549 students) alongside Perry Middle School.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Perry Middle School compares
Perry Middle School on the metrics families compare, against Iowa and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Iowa | Iowa avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.2:1 | ▼ 4% | 14.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 53.4% | ▲ 47% | 36.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 370 | top 37% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.2:1
Leaner classes than 55% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
370
Bigger than 43% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
53.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 47% above the Iowa average of 36.4%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
14.2:1
students per teacher
- 4% below state mean
Top 54% in Iowa - lower ratio than 46% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
28.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$13,640
per pupil, district-wide
- above Iowa avg of $12,854
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 185 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
38
in-school suspensions + 24 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 10.3 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 16.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 48.9%
White 41.4%
African American 4.3%
Two or More 2.4%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 58.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 58.7, Perry Middle School is more mixed than the Iowa school average of 33.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Perry Comm School District, which includes Perry Middle School.
$13,640
Per student
+6%
vs Iowa
Avg $12,854
-18%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 29.3%
State 54.2%
Federal 16.5%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Perry Middle School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perry Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Perry High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Perry Middle School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 816
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 549
- Students per teacher
- 14.8:1
- Resource Index
- 44/100
Similar middle schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Iowa, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~370 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~14.2:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Perry Middle School's federal record.
- Compare Perry Middle School against another school. Compare schools
- Perry Comm School District's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Perry Middle School
How many students attend Perry Middle School?
Perry Middle School has 370 students enrolled. It is a middle school in Perry, IA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Perry Middle School?
The student-teacher ratio at Perry Middle School is 14.2:1, which is 4% lower than the Iowa average of 14.8:1 and 10% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Perry Middle School?
53.4% of students at Perry Middle School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Iowa average of 36.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Perry Middle School?
The largest demographic group at Perry Middle School is Hispanic or Latino at 48.9% of enrollment, in Perry, IA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 58.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Perry Middle School?
Perry Middle School has a Resource Investment Index of 51/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Perry Middle School rank among public schools in Perry?
By Resource Investment Index, Perry Middle School ranks #1 of 3 public schools in Perry, IA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Perry on the city page.
Is Perry Middle School a good school?
Perry Middle School earns 51/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Iowa median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Iowa schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Perry Comm School District?
Besides Perry Middle School, Perry Comm School District also operates Perry Elementary (816 students) and Perry High School (549 students). See the Perry Comm School District district page for the complete list.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.