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Cottonwood Elementary

Summary:

Cottonwood Elementary is a public elementary school located in Colorado City, Arizona, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 380 students. The school is part of the Colorado City Unified District, which is ranked 107 out of 288 districts in Arizona and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cottonwood Elementary's academic performance is generally on par with or slightly above the district and state averages. The school's 4th and 5th-grade students outperformed the state averages in both English Language Arts and Mathematics, with 59% and 56% proficiency, respectively, compared to the state averages of 46% and 33%. However, the school's 3rd-grade performance in both subjects lags behind the state averages. The school's performance varies across different student subgroups, with the school ranking highly for male students but lower for white students. Notably, the school's performance for students with low socioeconomic status is noteworthy, ranking 171 out of 1,116 Arizona elementary schools.

Cottonwood Elementary's per-student spending has increased in recent years, suggesting a commitment to investing in the school's resources. However, the school's student-teacher ratio has also increased, which may impact the quality of instruction and individual attention students receive. The slight decrease in the percentage of white students at the school over the past three years suggests a potential shift in the school's demographic composition, which could have implications for the school's programming and support services.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 185 E. University Ave.
       Colorado City, AZ  86021

(928) 875-9050

District: Colorado City Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
273rd of 912 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,677 Help


Students who attend Cottonwood Elementary usually attend:

High:    El Capitan Public School

Student/teacher ratio:  19.8 Help
Number of students:  357

Racial breakdown:

White:
96.4%
American Indian:
1.4%
Hispanic:
1.1%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  64.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Cottonwood Elementary ranks better than 70.1% of elementary schools in Arizona. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 66.31. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (96.4%), American Indian (1.4%), Hispanic (1.1%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary is 19.8. (See more...)
Help
Compare Cottonwood Elementary employs 17.9 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cottonwood Elementary is $9,677.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cottonwood Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Cottonwood Elementary 273rd of 912 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Cottonwood Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Male students:
White students:


Colorado City Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Colorado City Unified District 91st of 297 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Parent Rating:

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Rank History for Cottonwood Elementary

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2017 77.22 244th 1106 77.9%
2018 72.98 295th 1109 73.4%
2019 60.78 397th 1039 61.8%
2021 69.90 348th 1226 71.6%
2022 66.68 286th 1000 71.4%
2023 69.08 345th 1245 72.3%
2024 66.31 273rd 912 70.1%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 35.38 675th 1027 34.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 58.29 313th 1201 73.9%
2023 45.57 381st 820 53.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.40 94th 820 88.5%
2022 47.38 336th 618 45.6%
2023 76.05 171st 1116 84.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.13 320th 1023 68.7%
2019 59.89 323rd 862 62.5%
2021 68.20 347th 1219 71.5%
2022 60.25 303rd 824 63.2%
2023 67.11 352nd 1219 71.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.84 255th 1032 75.3%
2019 86.73 80th 850 90.6%
2021 68.51 345th 1220 71.7%
2022 38.49 518th 830 37.6%
2023 67.68 347th 1216 71.5%
2024 78.91 96th 628 84.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 53.85 358th 720 50.3%
2019 33.56 423rd 595 28.9%
2021 57.53 450th 1161 61.2%
2022 26.80 648th 800 19.0%
2023 49.89 498th 1024 51.4%
2024 40.30 307th 486 36.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Arizona 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.

Cottonwood Elementary Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: Arizona Department of Education

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 1)
0%

0%

0%

0%

100%

  

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Cottonwood Elementary

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2015 255 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 259
2016 239 0 0 0 3 0 0 0 242
2017 298 0 0 1 1 0 2 0 302
2018 307 0 0 1 2 0 3 0 313
2019 346 0 0 3 2 0 3 0 354
2020 304 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 309
2021 311 0 0 3 1 0 3 0 318
2022 345 0 0 3 0 0 2 0 350
2023 371 2 0 4 1 0 2 0 380
2024 344 1 0 4 5 1 2 0 357

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 Cottonwood Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2015 259 10.0 25.9 21.6
2016 242 9.0 26.8 66.5
2017 302 13.0 23.2 66.6
2018 313 14.0 22.3 89.8
2019 354 15.0 23.6 84.5
2020 309 15.0 20.6 85.4
2021 318 16.0 19.8 n/a
2022 350 15.0 23.3 26
2023 380 15.0 25.3 64.7
2024 357 17.9 19.8 n/a

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 Cottonwood Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2015 259 10.0 25.9 21.6
2016 242 9.0 26.8 66.5
2017 302 13.0 23.2 66.6
2018 313 14.0 22.3 89.8
2019 354 15.0 23.6 84.5
2020 309 15.0 20.6 85.4
2021 318 16.0 19.8 n/a
2022 350 15.0 23.3 26
2023 380 15.0 25.3 64.7
2024 357 17.9 19.8 n/a

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 Cottonwood Elementary

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YearPersonnel Expenditures from Federal FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from Federal FundsTotal Expenditures from Federal FundsPersonnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsNon-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,892 (22.6%) $309 (3.7%) $4,093 (48.9%) $4,493 (53.7%) $1,677 (20.0%) $6,170 (73.7%) $8,371
2022 $2,045 (21.1%) $613 (6.3%) $4,704 (48.6%) $5,174 (53.5%) $1,844 (19.1%) $7,018 (72.5%) $9,677

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Cottonwood Elementary

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 397th of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 345th of 1245 Elementary schools
 10.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students354380
 7.3%
African American02
American Indian21
 50%
Asian00
Hispanic34
 33.3%
Pacific Islander00
White346371
 7.2%
Two or More Races32
 33.3%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients84.5%64.7%
 19.7%

Schools Near Cottonwood Elementary








Frequently Asked Questions about Cottonwood Elementary

Students at Cottonwood Elementary are 96% White, 1% American Indian, 1% Hispanic.

In the 2023-24 school year, 357 students attended Cottonwood Elementary.

Students who attend Cottonwood Elementary usually go on to attend:

High : El Capitan Public School

Cottonwood Elementary ranks 273rd of 912 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.


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