Cottonwood

Summary:

Cottonwood is an alternative public charter virtual school located in El Dorado Hills, California, serving grades K-12 with a total enrollment of 2,798 students. The school's performance is notably strong, with a 90.0% four-year graduation rate in 2022-2023, which is significantly higher than the state average of 55.73%. Cottonwood also outperforms the state average in several Smarter Balanced Assessments and CAST Science tests across multiple grade levels, with 74.69% of 11th graders proficient or better in ELA, compared to the state average of 55.73%, and 32.72% of 11th graders proficient or better in math, compared to the state average of 27.9%.

Cottonwood's student population is more socioeconomically diverse, with 49.39% of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023. The school's student-teacher ratio is higher than nearby charter schools, at 28.6 in 2022-2023, compared to 20.1 at John Adams Academy - Roseville and 14.5 at Buckeye Union Mandarin Immersion Charter. Cottonwood's performance is generally stronger than nearby charter schools, as well as the Folsom-Cordova Unified School District, in both test scores and graduation rates. Additionally, Cottonwood has an exceptionally low chronic absenteeism rate of 0.0%, compared to 48.7% at Innovations Academy and 52.9% at Sierra Vista.

The proximity and success of the Buckeye Union Mandarin Immersion Charter program, with over 95% of students proficient or better in ELA and math, suggests a strong demand for specialized academic programs in the El Dorado Hills area. Overall, Cottonwood appears to be a high-performing alternative public charter school that provides a quality education to its diverse student population, making it a notable option for families in the region.


Detail:

Public, Charter, Virtual, Alternative K-12

 3921 Sandstone Drive Ste. A
       El Dorado Hills, CA  95762-9343


(530) 285-2003

District: Cottonwood District

SchoolDigger Rank:
2622nd of 5,862 California Alternative Schools


Student/teacher ratio:  28.6 Help
Number of students:  2,798

Racial breakdown:

White:
71.6%
Hispanic:
14.4%
Two or more races:
8.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  49.4% Help


 See top rated California elementary schools

 Compare Cottonwood to nearby alternative schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Cottonwood ranks better than 55.3% of elementary schools in California. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 48.81. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details Cottonwood ranks better than 69% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 60.98. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details Cottonwood ranks better than 74.1% of high schools in California. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.42. (See more...)
Help
The Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR) measures the percentage of Cottonwood freshmen who graduate within four years, adjusting for students who transfer in or out.
Help
The high school dropout rate measures the percentage of students who do not complete their high school education.
Help
Chronic absenteeism in a high 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.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cottonwood:

SchoolDigger ranks Cottonwood 2622nd of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Cottonwood in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Cottonwood 860th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See Cottonwood in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Male students:
Hispanic students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Cottonwood 601st of 2323 California public high schools. (See Cottonwood in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Male students:
Asian students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:




What do you think?

Your rating for Cottonwood?

Rank History for Cottonwood

Help
Compare

Rank History for all elementary school students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 49.66 2542nd 5883 56.8%
2023 49.19 2573rd 5874 56.2%
2024 48.81 2622nd 5862 55.3%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for elementary school Multi-racial students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 14.79 542nd 610 11.1%
2023 22.06 559th 669 16.4%
2024 23.91 553rd 669 17.3%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for elementary school English Language Learner students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 50.00 1202nd 3311 63.7%
2023 62.03 710th 3250 78.2%
2024 67.64 471st 3160 85.1%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for elementary school Special Education students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 49.37 933rd 2420 61.4%
2024 58.09 754th 2634 71.4%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for elementary school Low Socio Economic Status students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 56.95 1864th 5264 64.6%
2023 55.67 2005th 5374 62.7%
2024 53.42 2158th 5511 60.8%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for elementary school Female students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 47.56 2544th 5635 54.9%
2023 48.68 2477th 5617 55.9%
2024 47.67 2542nd 5605 54.6%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for elementary school Disabled students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 77.91 327th 2227 85.3%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for elementary school Male students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 51.15 2384th 5663 57.9%
2023 49.05 2506th 5650 55.6%
2024 49.46 2489th 5636 55.8%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for elementary school Hispanic students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 65.29 1369th 5084 73.1%
2023 68.55 1251st 5098 75.5%
2024 55.79 1899th 5102 62.8%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for elementary school White students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 20.69 2259th 2726 17.1%
2023 18.97 2254th 2662 15.3%
2024 20.23 2210th 2647 16.5%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Cottonwood

Help
Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 55.80 1004th 2740 63.4%
2023 57.95 965th 2802 65.6%
2024 60.98 860th 2777 69.0%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Multi-racial students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 24.56 509th 665 23.5%
2023 26.55 508th 678 25.1%
2024 34.75 460th 699 34.2%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for middle school English Language Learner students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 51.72 417th 1529 72.7%
2024 54.91 349th 1477 76.4%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 63.88 354th 1538 77.0%
2024 60.51 395th 1550 74.5%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 63.31 660th 2458 73.1%
2023 62.70 685th 2549 73.1%
2024 62.28 702nd 2575 72.7%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 55.40 922nd 2509 63.3%
2023 56.48 907th 2547 64.4%
2024 59.71 826th 2546 67.6%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Disabled students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 68.56 290th 1531 81.1%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 54.88 939th 2527 62.8%
2023 56.93 894th 2558 65.1%
2024 60.32 809th 2547 68.2%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 62.12 675th 2359 71.4%
2023 65.94 611th 2391 74.4%
2024 74.01 429th 2383 82.0%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 32.24 1060th 1555 31.8%
2023 33.37 1026th 1552 33.9%
2024 36.11 953rd 1535 37.9%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for White Students!

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

Rank History for Cottonwood

Help
Compare

Rank History for all high school students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 70.54 523rd 2123 75.4%
2023 56.49 724th 2348 69.2%
2024 61.42 601st 2323 74.1%
See the entire list of California Alternative School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Multi-racial students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 41.48 312th 515 39.4%
2023 29.99 500th 786 36.4%
2024 44.75 387th 804 51.9%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for high school English Language Learner students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 64.14 110th 1323 91.7%
2024 63.61 127th 1350 90.6%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for high school Special Education students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 54.97 385th 1547 75.1%
2024 70.29 208th 1534 86.4%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 68.41 467th 1943 76.0%
2023 58.72 660th 2247 70.6%
2024 64.73 511th 2235 77.1%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Homeless students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 22.51 335th 417 19.7%
2024 47.06 236th 451 47.7%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 71.39 440th 1858 76.3%
2023 55.40 702nd 2118 66.9%
2024 59.06 618th 2098 70.5%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Disabled students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 98.63 23rd 1161 98.0%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 63.55 581st 1916 69.7%
2023 55.23 700th 2207 68.3%
2024 61.60 570th 2172 73.8%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school Asian students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 33.63 504th 731 31.1%
2024 32.61 490th 712 31.2%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Asian Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 60.90 214th 720 70.3%
2024 69.89 159th 721 77.9%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 48.37 866th 1861 53.5%
2023 64.76 517th 2142 75.9%
2024 68.65 416th 2125 80.4%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Cottonwood

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 52.72 557th 1204 53.7%
2023 34.41 852nd 1434 40.6%
2024 38.63 771st 1406 45.2%
See the entire list of Best California Alternative Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California 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 Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 











Data source: California Department of Education

We're sorry, but no reviews have been submitted for Cottonwood.

If you have first-hand knowledge about Cottonwood, submit a rating!


Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!


Enrollment information for Cottonwood

Help
Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2020 1726 92 69 350 10 6 198 0 2451
2021 1696 80 61 316 12 6 201 0 2372
2022 1680 75 55 368 7 6 223 5 2419
2023 2003 59 73 403 5 3 246 6 2798

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

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2020 2451 n/a n/a 37.3
2021 2372 87.5 27.0 37.2
2022 2419 88.1 27.4 43.3
2023 2798 97.5 28.6 49.4

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

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2020 2451 n/a n/a 37.3
2021 2372 87.5 27.0 37.2
2022 2419 88.1 27.4 43.3
2023 2798 97.5 28.6 49.4

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.

Kindergarten Immunization Rates

Cottonwood

Help
Compare
YearCompletely ImmunizedMedical ExemptionConditionalPolioHepatitis BVaricellaDTPMMR
202025.9%8.4%0.0%34.3%49.7%28.7%30.7%30.9%
202129.5%4.0%0.0%38.9%52.9%36.3%37.1%37.1%
202216.3%0.6%0.0%41.7%39.9%36.6%45.3%39.3%

Data source: California Department of Public Health


Schools Near Cottonwood









Frequently Asked Questions about Cottonwood

Students at Cottonwood are 72% White, 14% Hispanic, 9% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% African American.

Cottonwood ranks 2622nd of 5862 California alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

In the 2022-23 school year, 2,798 students attended Cottonwood.


Rate Cottonwood!



Sign up for updates!

Be the first to know when there is an update for Cottonwood!




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





Diagnostics

None retrieved from Database in 77 milliseconds.