Summary:
The four public schools in zip code 32347 (Perry, FL) serve approximately 2,261 students from kindergarten through 12th grade within the Taylor County School District, a district ranked 31st out of 70 in Florida with a 3-star rating, and face significant economic challenges with an average free/reduced lunch rate of 65%.
The most critical issue across all schools is a chronic absenteeism crisis, with rates dramatically exceeding the state average of 31.4%. Taylor County High School has the highest rate at 59.1%, followed closely by Taylor County Middle School at 58.4%, while both Taylor County Primary School and Taylor County Elementary School report 52.3%. This systemic problem likely drives many academic struggles. The high school shows inconsistent performance, excelling in US History (79% proficient) but struggling in Algebra 1 (29% proficient), with a graduation rate of 81.5% well below the state average of 92.2%. The primary school, serving K-2, has the highest economic disadvantage (74% free/reduced lunch) but also the highest per-student spending ($11,177) and lowest student-teacher ratio (15.1), indicating targeted investment in early education.
Despite a low overall state ranking (38th percentile), Taylor County Middle School is a standout for advanced math, with 92% of its Algebra 1 students proficient—29 points above the state average—and 70% of 7th graders proficient in math. This creates a paradox where the middle school excels with top students while the high school struggles with the broader population in the same subject. Year-over-year data shows significant volatility, such as 8th grade science jumping from 26% to 56% proficiency at the middle school, while 5th grade science at the elementary school dropped from 46% to 33%. Improving attendance appears to be the most impactful lever for raising overall performance across the district.
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