Cotaco School

Summary:

Cotaco School is a public elementary school serving grades PK-8 in Somerville, Alabama, with a student population of 536. The school is part of the Morgan County school district, which is ranked 50 out of 137 districts in the state and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cotaco School's academic performance, as measured by standardized test scores, is generally below the county and state averages across most grade levels and subject areas. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the percentage of students proficient or better in Mathematics ranged from 22.64% (6th grade) to 41.94% (5th grade), compared to the Morgan County averages of 30.92% to 51.72% and the Alabama averages of 31.56% to 42.16%. The school's performance in English Language Arts is stronger, with proficiency rates ranging from 43.4% (6th grade) to 74.07% (8th grade), but still below the county and state averages. Cotaco School also has a relatively high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with around 65% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch, significantly higher than nearby schools like Priceville Elementary (38.68%) and FE Burleson Elementary (44.81%).

Cotaco School's academic performance has declined over the past several years, from a high of 139 out of 680 Alabama elementary schools in 2017-2018 (4-star rating) to 367 out of 684 in 2023-2024 (2-star rating). This trend is concerning and suggests the need for targeted interventions and support to improve student learning outcomes. Additionally, the school's performance varies significantly across different student subgroups, with White students and students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds performing worse than their peers. When compared to nearby schools, Cotaco School generally performs worse academically, with lower proficiency rates and lower statewide rankings, indicating opportunities for the school to learn from the practices and strategies of higher-performing schools in the area.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-8

 100 Cotaco School Rd
       Somerville, AL  35670-5329


(256) 778-8153

District: Morgan County

SchoolDigger Rank:
367th of 684 Alabama Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $12,127 Help


Students who attend Cotaco School usually attend:

High:    Albert P Brewer High School

Student/teacher ratio:  16.8 Help
Number of students:  485

Racial breakdown:

White:
90.3%
Hispanic:
3.9%
Two or more races:
3.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  62.3% Help


 See top rated Alabama elementary schools

 Compare Cotaco School to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Cotaco School ranks worse than 53.7% of elementary schools in Alabama. It also ranks 6th among 7 ranked elementary schools in the Morgan County School District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 48.04. (See more...)
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Compare Details Cotaco School ranks better than 70.1% of middle schools in Alabama. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 63.87. (See more...)
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.
Student Body
Help
Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (90.3%), Hispanic (3.9%), two or more races (3.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 62.3% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cotaco School is 16.8, which is the 4th best among 7 elementary schools in the Morgan County School District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Cotaco School employs 28.7 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cotaco School is $12,127, which is the highest among 8 elementary schools in the Morgan County School District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cotaco School:

SchoolDigger ranks Cotaco School 367th of 684 Alabama public elementary schools. (See Cotaco School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Cotaco School 132nd of 442 Alabama public middle schools. (See Cotaco School in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Morgan County:

SchoolDigger ranks Morgan County 50th of 137 Alabama school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Cotaco School

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Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 80.56 86th 623 86.2%
2005 87.49 34th 688 95.1%
2006 83.29 67th 689 90.3%
2007 54.24 357th 698 48.9%
2008 66.26 218th 698 68.8%
2009 64.13 236th 696 66.1%
2010 64.64 255th 704 63.8%
2011 68.94 202nd 709 71.5%
2012 75.93 119th 696 82.9%
2013 75.39 97th 696 86.1%
2014 58.51 274th 695 60.6%
2015 60.16 238th 691 65.6%
2016 59.30 268th 691 61.2%
2017 63.11 229th 688 66.7%
2018 77.94 139th 680 79.6%
2019 58.59 276th 681 59.5%
2021 40.36 417th 692 39.7%
2022 61.66 248th 687 63.9%
2023 58.04 278th 680 59.1%
2024 48.04 367th 684 46.3%
See the entire list of Alabama Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 40.20 224th 395 43.3%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 63.62 169th 567 70.2%
2018 83.18 64th 651 90.2%
2019 51.28 325th 649 49.9%
2021 31.15 459th 653 29.7%
2022 57.70 267th 651 59.0%
2023 72.79 129th 623 79.3%
2024 43.12 401st 670 40.1%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 60.25 235th 639 63.2%
2018 75.85 135th 640 78.9%
2019 62.40 224th 646 65.3%
2021 44.09 370th 656 43.6%
2022 67.86 187th 656 71.5%
2023 64.54 217th 645 66.4%
2024 43.91 376th 650 42.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 62.34 217th 639 66.0%
2018 75.27 148th 650 77.2%
2019 52.78 315th 650 51.5%
2021 37.61 419th 669 37.4%
2022 53.21 315th 669 52.9%
2023 51.43 323rd 649 50.2%
2024 51.80 324th 655 50.5%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 63.48 169th 508 66.7%
2019 42.05 315th 529 40.5%
2021 24.77 437th 539 18.9%
2022 43.75 295th 540 45.4%
2023 40.37 329th 528 37.7%
2024 31.15 400th 535 25.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alabama State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

Rank History for Cotaco School

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Rank History for all middle school students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 84.32 35th 407 91.4%
2005 84.52 36th 415 91.3%
2006 78.83 50th 409 87.8%
2007 79.85 53rd 412 87.1%
2008 70.88 85th 417 79.6%
2009 73.07 84th 425 80.2%
2010 56.94 195th 435 55.2%
2011 75.93 80th 435 81.6%
2012 78.60 57th 436 86.9%
2013 74.08 74th 436 83.0%
2014 71.70 82nd 438 81.3%
2015 67.68 93rd 430 78.4%
2016 67.01 110th 432 74.5%
2017 74.07 78th 432 81.9%
2018 73.43 93rd 423 78.0%
2019 77.95 72nd 437 83.5%
2021 48.65 219th 440 50.2%
2022 56.46 162nd 432 62.5%
2023 55.76 177th 437 59.5%
2024 63.87 132nd 442 70.1%
See the entire list of Alabama Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.44 134th 223 39.9%
2021 48.15 112th 274 59.1%
2023 62.53 63rd 281 77.6%
2024 37.59 163rd 281 42.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 60.94 99th 349 71.6%
2018 60.22 144th 396 63.6%
2019 76.80 58th 396 85.4%
2021 36.60 270th 415 34.9%
2022 50.44 199th 421 52.7%
2023 62.39 117th 410 71.5%
2024 64.10 115th 437 73.7%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 66.82 100th 380 73.7%
2018 69.52 103rd 392 73.7%
2019 71.27 84th 399 78.9%
2021 48.71 206th 415 50.4%
2022 65.20 118th 423 72.1%
2023 55.90 162nd 417 61.2%
2024 65.97 120th 426 71.8%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 76.55 62nd 380 83.7%
2018 73.91 78th 397 80.4%
2019 79.31 51st 399 87.2%
2021 44.64 222nd 418 46.9%
2022 44.06 227th 427 46.8%
2023 53.01 179th 419 57.3%
2024 60.84 137th 428 68.0%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Cotaco School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools AL State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 54.35 128th 331 61.3%
2019 67.22 76th 343 77.8%
2021 37.69 226th 369 38.8%
2022 43.73 187th 376 50.3%
2023 41.70 200th 370 45.9%
2024 54.53 141st 373 62.2%
See the entire list of Best Alabama Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Alabama State Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Cotaco School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 








Data source: Alabama State Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 2.5)
0%

50%

0%

0%

50%

  

Reviews:
by a student
Friday, February 26, 2021

Open Quote People are so racias the teachers are so horrible there trash they never do there job Close Quote



Enrollment information for Cotaco School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 0 0 0 0 0 n/a n/a 746 746
1989 653 56 1 1 2 n/a n/a 0 713
1990 657 57 1 1 1 n/a n/a 0 717
1991 655 53 1 1 0 n/a n/a 0 710
1992 642 53 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 695
1993 606 59 0 0 2 n/a n/a 0 667
1994 540 41 0 0 0 n/a n/a 0 581
1995 550 24 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 575
1996 550 24 1 0 0 n/a n/a 0 575
1997 567 24 0 1 0 n/a n/a 0 592
1998 558 21 3 1 2 n/a n/a 0 585
1999 570 23 7 2 1 n/a n/a 0 603
2000 578 24 6 1 2 n/a n/a 0 611
2001 535 20 5 0 5 n/a n/a 0 565
2002 561 22 4 0 1 n/a n/a 0 588
2003 561 22 4 0 1 n/a n/a 0 588
2004 527 23 2 0 1 n/a n/a 0 553
2005 553 23 2 2 2 n/a n/a 0 582
2006 518 18 2 1 2 n/a n/a 3 544
2007 523 17 2 5 7 n/a n/a 1 555
2008 479 20 1 5 5 n/a n/a 0 510
2009 482 17 1 1 5 n/a n/a 0 506
2010 479 20 3 9 3 n/a n/a 0 514
2011 477 20 3 11 6 0 0 0 517
2012 460 17 3 8 4 0 3 0 495
2013 468 20 2 11 2 1 6 0 510
2014 459 14 3 12 1 0 11 0 500
2015 409 12 1 9 1 1 14 0 447
2016 430 16 5 7 1 0 13 0 472
2017 443 17 4 6 2 0 12 0 484
2018 453 16 8 7 1 0 12 0 497
2019 406 15 3 15 1 0 11 0 451
2020 446 27 4 16 1 0 11 0 505
2021 438 22 2 25 1 0 7 0 495
2022 453 17 2 22 3 0 14 0 511
2023 475 14 2 22 1 0 22 0 536
2024 438 8 2 19 1 0 17 0 485

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cotaco School

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Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 746 35.0 21.3 0
1989 713 36.0 19.8 n/a
1990 717 37.0 19.3 0
1991 710 38.0 18.6 n/a
1992 695 38.0 18.2 n/a
1993 667 40.0 16.7 n/a
1994 581 43.0 13.5 n/a
1995 575 41.8 13.8 n/a
1996 575 41.8 13.8 n/a
1997 592 39.9 14.8 30.9
1998 585 40.8 14.3 28.9
1999 603 45.0 13.4 38.6
2000 611 45.0 13.6 36.2
2001 565 46.0 12.3 42.1
2002 588 43.5 13.5 40.1
2003 588 43.5 13.5 40.1
2004 553 44.5 12.4 38.3
2005 582 42.0 13.9 38.8
2006 544 42.0 12.9 37.7
2007 555 41.0 13.5 41.3
2008 510 37.5 13.6 41.8
2009 506 36.1 13.9 40.3
2010 514 45.9 11.1 46.9
2011 517 47.0 11.0 54.2
2012 495 39.3 12.5 53.9
2013 510 41.3 12.3 56.5
2014 500 30.9 16.1 61
2015 447 27.0 16.5 50.6
2016 472 26.0 18.1 54
2017 484 27.4 17.6 58.7
2018 497 26.4 18.8 54.7
2019 451 25.9 17.3 54.8
2020 505 29.9 16.8 56.8
2021 495 29.1 17.0 47.3
2022 511 27.4 18.6 42.9
2023 536 30.4 17.6 65.5
2024 485 28.7 16.8 62.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Cotaco School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 746 35.0 21.3 0
1989 713 36.0 19.8 n/a
1990 717 37.0 19.3 0
1991 710 38.0 18.6 n/a
1992 695 38.0 18.2 n/a
1993 667 40.0 16.7 n/a
1994 581 43.0 13.5 n/a
1995 575 41.8 13.8 n/a
1996 575 41.8 13.8 n/a
1997 592 39.9 14.8 30.9
1998 585 40.8 14.3 28.9
1999 603 45.0 13.4 38.6
2000 611 45.0 13.6 36.2
2001 565 46.0 12.3 42.1
2002 588 43.5 13.5 40.1
2003 588 43.5 13.5 40.1
2004 553 44.5 12.4 38.3
2005 582 42.0 13.9 38.8
2006 544 42.0 12.9 37.7
2007 555 41.0 13.5 41.3
2008 510 37.5 13.6 41.8
2009 506 36.1 13.9 40.3
2010 514 45.9 11.1 46.9
2011 517 47.0 11.0 54.2
2012 495 39.3 12.5 53.9
2013 510 41.3 12.3 56.5
2014 500 30.9 16.1 61
2015 447 27.0 16.5 50.6
2016 472 26.0 18.1 54
2017 484 27.4 17.6 58.7
2018 497 26.4 18.8 54.7
2019 451 25.9 17.3 54.8
2020 505 29.9 16.8 56.8
2021 495 29.1 17.0 47.3
2022 511 27.4 18.6 42.9
2023 536 30.4 17.6 65.5
2024 485 28.7 16.8 62.3

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.
Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cotaco School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $2,326 (19.2%) $9,785 (80.7%) $12,127

Data source: Alabama Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Cotaco School

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Ranks 276th of 681 Elementary schoolsRanks 278th of 680 Elementary schools
 0.4%
Ranks 72nd of 437 Middle schoolsRanks 177th of 437 Middle schools
 24%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cotaco School)53.544
 9.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Morgan County)62.151.4
 10.7%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Alabama)57.543.6
 13.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cotaco School)38.635.5
 3.1%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Morgan County)48.930.7
 18.3%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)47.334.9
 12.4%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cotaco School)4018.4
 21.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Morgan County)39.132.6
 6.5%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)44.933.9
 10.9%
6th Grade Mathematics (Cotaco School)66.747.1
 19.6%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Morgan County)47.432.9
 14.5%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)45.330.8
 14.5%
7th Grade Mathematics (Cotaco School)57.723.8
 33.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Morgan County)4725.9
 21.1%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)43.121
 22.1%
8th Grade Mathematics (Cotaco School)289.6
 18.4%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Morgan County)42.318.1
 24.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Alabama)44.721.1
 23.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students451536
 18.8%
African American1514
 6.7%
American Indian11
Asian32
 33.3%
Hispanic1522
 46.7%
Pacific Islander00
White406475
 17%
Two or More Races1122
 100%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients54.8%65.5%
 10.7%


Schools Near Cotaco School









Frequently Asked Questions about Cotaco School

Students who attend Cotaco School usually go on to attend:

High : Albert P Brewer High School

Students at Cotaco School are 90% White, 4% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

Cotaco School ranks 367th of 684 Alabama elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

In the 2023-24 school year, 485 students attended Cotaco School.


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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Alabama State Department of Education.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.





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