Summary:
Zip code 39462 contains exactly one public high school: Perry Central High School, a small school serving grades 9–12 in New Augusta, Mississippi, with 262 students. Because it is the only high school in the area, there is no basis for comparing schools within the zip code; instead, Perry Central is best assessed against statewide averages, its own year-over-year trends, and the performance of its parent Perry County School District, which currently holds a 2-star rating and ranks 78th out of 134 districts in Mississippi.
Perry Central has shown clear momentum in recent years. The school improved its statewide rank from 162nd out of 228 schools in 2023–2024 (29th percentile) to 118th out of 224 in 2025–2026 (47th percentile) — a gain of 44 positions in just two years. Academically, Algebra I is a relative strength, with 67.2% of students proficient in 2025–2026, which actually exceeds the state average of 66.0%. English II also improved sharply, jumping from 35.5% proficiency in 2024–2025 to 47.5% in 2025–2026, nearly closing the gap with the state average of 49.3%. However, Biology remains a major weakness, with only 47.2% proficient versus the state's 63.1%, a gap of nearly 16 points.
The school faces significant challenges as well. Its graduation rate of 78.8% is more than 10 points below the state average of 89.2%, meaning roughly one in five students does not graduate on time. Chronic absenteeism is also elevated at 27.5%, above both the district (22.9%) and state (23.9%). With 81.3% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch, Perry Central serves a predominantly economically disadvantaged population, yet it has still managed to exceed the state in Algebra I. The school's rising rank suggests its efforts are paying off, but closing the Biology gap, reducing absenteeism, and improving graduation rates will be essential for continued progress.
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