Cottonwood Elementary School

Summary:

Cottonwood Elementary School is a public elementary school in Tucson, Arizona, serving 505 students in grades K-6. The school is part of the Vail Unified District, which is ranked 62 out of 288 districts in the state and has a 4-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cottonwood Elementary has a diverse student population, with 40.59% Hispanic, 44.95% White, and 2.97% African American students. The school's academic performance is generally on par with or slightly below the district and state averages, but it stands out in serving its Hispanic and Special Education student subgroups, who perform better than their counterparts at the district and state levels. Cottonwood has consistently ranked in the top 25% of Arizona elementary schools, with particularly strong rankings for its Special Education and Low Socioeconomic Status student subgroups.

While Cottonwood's nearby counterparts, such as Ocotillo Ridge Elementary, Acacia Elementary, and Esmond Station School, generally outperform Cottonwood in academic metrics and have higher overall school rankings, the school has seen a significant increase in the percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, from 15.4% in 2021-2022 to 29.9% in 2022-2023. This shift in the student population may be a contributing factor to Cottonwood's academic performance.


Detail:

Public K-6

 9950 E Rees Loop
       Tucson, AZ  85747-9148


(520) 879-2602

District: Vail Unified District

SchoolDigger Rank:
236th of 904 Arizona Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $7,555 Help


Students who attend Cottonwood Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Desert Sky Middle School
High:    Andrada Polytechnic High School
    Cienega High School
    Empire High School

Student/teacher ratio:  15.3 Help
Number of students:  505

Racial breakdown:

White:
45.0%
Hispanic:
40.6%
Two or more races:
9.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  29.9% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Cottonwood Elementary School ranks better than 73.9% of elementary schools in Arizona. It also ranks 6th among 9 ranked elementary schools in the Vail Unified District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.16. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (45%), Hispanic (40.6%), two or more races (9.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 29.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary School is 15.3, which is the 3rd best among 9 elementary schools in the Vail Unified District. (See more...)
Help
Compare Cottonwood Elementary School employs 32.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cottonwood Elementary School is $7,555, which is the highest among 10 elementary schools in the Vail Unified District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cottonwood Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Cottonwood Elementary School 236th of 904 Arizona public elementary schools. (See Cottonwood Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Vail Unified District:

SchoolDigger ranks Vail Unified District 62nd of 288 Arizona school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Your rating for Cottonwood Elementary School?

Rank History for Cottonwood Elementary School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2009 87.39 81st 1062 92.4%
2010 84.58 143rd 1090 86.9%
2011 87.27 93rd 1075 91.3%
2012 82.91 141st 1141 87.6%
2013 78.06 217th 1158 81.3%
2014 78.50 227th 1079 79.0%
2015 66.62 290th 955 69.6%
2016 81.52 196th 1079 81.8%
2017 78.74 231st 1106 79.1%
2018 87.48 126th 1109 88.6%
2019 81.42 186th 1039 82.1%
2021 79.50 242nd 1226 80.3%
2022 72.65 224th 1000 77.6%
2023 83.09 204th 1245 83.6%
2024 71.16 236th 904 73.9%
See the entire list of Arizona Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 58.36 334th 1027 67.5%
2022 45.18 265th 444 40.3%
2023 48.89 319th 617 48.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 92.66 18th 417 95.7%
2021 82.68 57th 1201 95.3%
2023 66.45 164th 820 80.0%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 88.37 53rd 820 93.5%
2022 64.17 218th 618 64.7%
2023 89.54 56th 1116 95.0%
2024 74.51 96th 546 82.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 89.79 85th 1023 91.7%
2019 81.58 124th 862 85.6%
2021 81.23 212th 1219 82.6%
2022 67.07 230th 824 72.1%
2023 80.68 204th 1219 83.3%
2024 58.92 213th 593 64.1%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Foster Care students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 42.58 145th 306 52.6%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Foster Care Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 67.13 69th 239 71.1%
2022 81.13 12th 101 88.1%
2023 80.81 14th 145 90.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 82.07 180th 1032 82.6%
2019 69.18 239th 850 71.9%
2021 74.58 272nd 1220 77.7%
2022 64.24 255th 830 69.3%
2023 80.14 210th 1216 82.7%
2024 55.54 254th 609 58.3%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Asian students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 84.45 26th 620 95.8%
2023 28.28 267th 316 15.5%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for African American students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 62.60 167th 895 81.3%
2023 69.69 131st 607 78.4%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 90.22 63rd 911 93.1%
2019 87.31 70th 709 90.1%
2021 79.57 149th 1198 87.6%
2022 61.13 276th 716 61.5%
2023 77.57 190th 1170 83.8%
2024 76.19 100th 472 78.8%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for Native American students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 28.33 545th 654 16.7%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Native American Students!

Rank History for Pacific Islander students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 55.96 68th 171 60.2%
See the entire list of Best Arizona Elementary Schools for Pacific Islander Students!

Rank History for White students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools AZ State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 75.20 162nd 720 77.5%
2019 64.63 185th 595 68.9%
2021 68.30 324th 1161 72.1%
2022 69.78 179th 800 77.6%
2023 80.88 141st 1024 86.2%
2024 44.30 277th 477 41.9%
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 School Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: Arizona Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Cottonwood Elementary School

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2002 402 42 20 134 6 n/a n/a 0 604
2003 402 42 20 134 6 n/a n/a 0 604
2004 426 30 12 114 5 n/a n/a 0 587
2005 418 30 14 125 4 n/a n/a 0 591
2006 472 33 8 132 4 n/a n/a 0 649
2007 468 33 13 131 5 n/a n/a 0 650
2008 525 41 22 151 4 n/a n/a 0 743
2009 484 46 24 171 4 n/a n/a 0 729
2010 455 52 21 191 2 n/a n/a 0 721
2011 419 45 27 180 4 0 2 0 677
2012 397 42 24 171 3 0 6 0 643
2013 354 50 17 169 2 0 12 0 604
2014 358 44 24 205 4 1 18 0 654
2015 319 44 23 197 6 1 15 0 605
2016 274 31 22 203 10 0 21 0 561
2017 285 26 21 230 7 1 39 0 609
2018 273 26 14 209 3 1 33 0 559
2019 307 29 11 228 4 3 35 0 617
2020 291 30 10 214 5 2 37 0 589
2021 239 17 10 195 6 2 41 0 510
2022 246 18 7 203 5 1 46 0 526
2023 227 15 7 205 3 0 48 0 505

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 School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 604 32.1 18.8 15.2
2003 604 32.1 18.8 15.2
2004 587 32.5 18.1 16.7
2005 591 37.0 16.0 n/a
2006 649 36.0 18.0 14.5
2007 650 34.7 18.7 11.8
2008 743 41.2 18.0 14.4
2009 729 44.2 16.5 15.9
2010 721 38.5 18.7 22.9
2011 677 35.6 18.9 21.3
2012 643 31.5 20.4 21.5
2013 604 36.0 16.7 30
2014 654 39.4 16.5 30.1
2015 605 37.0 16.3 33.4
2016 561 34.0 16.5 n/a
2017 609 35.0 17.3 30.7
2018 559 35.9 15.5 29.9
2019 617 34.9 17.6 28.8
2020 589 34.0 17.3 29.9
2021 510 34.0 14.9 n/a
2022 526 29.0 18.1 15.4
2023 505 32.8 15.3 29.9

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 School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2002 604 32.1 18.8 15.2
2003 604 32.1 18.8 15.2
2004 587 32.5 18.1 16.7
2005 591 37.0 16.0 n/a
2006 649 36.0 18.0 14.5
2007 650 34.7 18.7 11.8
2008 743 41.2 18.0 14.4
2009 729 44.2 16.5 15.9
2010 721 38.5 18.7 22.9
2011 677 35.6 18.9 21.3
2012 643 31.5 20.4 21.5
2013 604 36.0 16.7 30
2014 654 39.4 16.5 30.1
2015 605 37.0 16.3 33.4
2016 561 34.0 16.5 n/a
2017 609 35.0 17.3 30.7
2018 559 35.9 15.5 29.9
2019 617 34.9 17.6 28.8
2020 589 34.0 17.3 29.9
2021 510 34.0 14.9 n/a
2022 526 29.0 18.1 15.4
2023 505 32.8 15.3 29.9

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 School

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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 $508 (6.1%) $88 (1.1%) $1,104 (13.2%) $6,805 (81.4%) $960 (11.5%) $7,765 (92.9%) $8,361
2020 $411 (4.8%) $251 (2.9%) $1,073 (12.5%) $7,180 (83.3%) $774 (9.0%) $7,954 (92.3%) $8,616
2021 $368 (5.0%) $44 (0.6%) $780 (10.5%) $6,853 (92.3%) $159 (2.1%) $7,012 (94.5%) $7,424
2022 $340 (4.5%) $38 (0.5%) $717 (9.5%) $7,017 (92.9%) $161 (2.1%) $7,178 (95.0%) $7,555

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Cottonwood Elementary 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 186th of 1039 Elementary schoolsRanks 204th of 1245 Elementary schools
 1.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students617505
 18.2%
African American2915
 48.3%
American Indian43
 25%
Asian117
 36.4%
Hispanic228205
 10.1%
Pacific Islander30
 100%
White307227
 26.1%
Two or More Races3548
 37.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients28.8%29.9%
 1.1%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Cottonwood Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 505 students attended Cottonwood Elementary School.

Cottonwood Elementary School ranks 236th of 904 Arizona elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

Students at Cottonwood Elementary School are 45% White, 41% Hispanic, 10% Two or more races, 3% African American, 1% Asian.


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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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