West Cottonwood Junior High

Summary:

West Cottonwood Junior High is a public middle school located in Cottonwood, CA, serving grades 5-8 with a total enrollment of 384 students. It is part of the Cottonwood Union Elementary School District, which is ranked 556 out of 1,568 districts in California and has a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger.

West Cottonwood Junior High consistently performs above the district and state averages in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics proficiency across all grade levels. In the 2023-2024 school year, 50.13% of students were proficient or better in ELA, compared to 48.32% for the district and 47.04% for the state. In Mathematics, 34.02% of students were proficient or better, compared to 36.07% for the district and 35.54% for the state. The school's performance is particularly strong for Hispanic students and students with disabilities, ranking in the top 10% and top 25% of California middle schools, respectively, in these subgroups for ELA and Mathematics.

However, West Cottonwood Junior High faces some challenges, including a significant increase in chronic absenteeism, rising from 10.4% in 2017-2018 to 19.9% in 2022-2023, which is higher than the state average of 14.3%. Additionally, the school has a relatively high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, with 48.18% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch in 2022-2023, higher than the state average of 55.9%. The school's performance for White students is relatively weaker, ranking in the bottom 35% of California middle schools in this subgroup for both ELA and Mathematics.


Detail:

Public 5-8

 20512 West First St.
       Cottonwood, CA  96022-8808


(530) 347-3123

District: Cottonwood Union Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
924th of 2,777 California Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,358 Help


Students who attend West Cottonwood Junior High usually attend:

High:    West Valley Early College High

Feeder schools for West Cottonwood Junior High:

Elementary:    North Cottonwood

Student/teacher ratio:  17.5 Help
Number of students:  395

Racial breakdown:

White:
67.3%
Hispanic:
20.3%
Two or more races:
6.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  51.6% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details West Cottonwood Junior High ranks better than 66.7% of middle schools in California. (See more...)
Help
Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 58.29. (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 (67.3%), Hispanic (20.3%), two or more races (6.6%). (See more...)
Help
Compare Details 51.6% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Cottonwood Junior High is 17.5. (See more...)
Help
Compare West Cottonwood Junior High employs 22.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Cottonwood Junior High is $8,358.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

West Cottonwood Junior High:

SchoolDigger ranks West Cottonwood Junior High 924th of 2777 California public middle schools. (See West Cottonwood Junior High in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Cottonwood Union Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Cottonwood Union Elementary 556th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for West Cottonwood Junior High

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Compare

Rank History for all students at West Cottonwood Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 75.59 345th 1769 80.5%
2005 64.67 533rd 1777 70.0%
2006 60.49 626th 1804 65.3%
2007 69.19 504th 1999 74.8%
2008 79.39 302nd 2005 84.9%
2009 68.85 545th 2063 73.6%
2010 61.57 749th 2179 65.6%
2011 60.47 809th 2236 63.8%
2012 48.68 1125th 2259 50.2%
2013 51.40 1119th 2379 53.0%
2015 54.27 1004th 2477 59.5%
2016 57.33 928th 2497 62.8%
2017 54.87 985th 2508 60.7%
2018 60.52 835th 2480 66.3%
2019 54.87 1031st 2715 62.0%
2021 67.88 240th 894 73.2%
2022 64.96 777th 2740 71.6%
2023 59.62 920th 2802 67.2%
2024 58.29 924th 2777 66.7%
See the entire list of California Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at West Cottonwood Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 57.37 434th 1538 71.8%
2024 57.25 443rd 1550 71.4%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at West Cottonwood Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.75 920th 2230 58.7%
2019 46.71 1118th 2369 52.8%
2021 75.47 116th 721 83.9%
2022 62.14 689th 2458 72.0%
2023 67.52 582nd 2549 77.2%
2024 60.80 738th 2575 71.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at West Cottonwood Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.52 803rd 2262 64.5%
2019 48.43 1096th 2380 53.9%
2021 73.59 161st 738 78.2%
2022 69.42 620th 2509 75.3%
2023 65.66 716th 2547 71.9%
2024 60.06 820th 2546 67.8%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at West Cottonwood Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.19 475th 1369 65.3%
2019 71.15 269th 1491 82.0%
2022 80.45 175th 1531 88.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at West Cottonwood Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 59.04 803rd 2273 64.7%
2019 58.86 827th 2407 65.6%
2021 60.13 272nd 763 64.4%
2022 60.04 810th 2527 67.9%
2023 52.97 983rd 2558 61.6%
2024 54.49 936th 2547 63.3%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at West Cottonwood Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 51.92 855th 2072 58.7%
2019 43.30 1155th 2213 47.8%
2022 75.52 388th 2359 83.6%
2023 81.52 285th 2391 88.1%
2024 83.99 234th 2383 90.2%
See the entire list of Best California Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at West Cottonwood Junior High

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools CA State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 41.36 878th 1496 41.3%
2019 35.56 1047th 1602 34.6%
2022 42.07 882nd 1555 43.3%
2023 35.72 982nd 1552 36.7%
2024 34.43 988th 1535 35.6%
See the entire list of Best California Middle 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.

West Cottonwood Junior High Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 







Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for West Cottonwood Junior High

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 399 3 7 18 5 n/a n/a 0 432
1989 397 2 11 14 2 n/a n/a 0 426
1990 391 2 5 13 5 n/a n/a 0 416
1991 389 3 4 14 3 n/a n/a 0 413
1992 430 3 4 23 3 n/a n/a 0 463
1993 457 5 6 16 2 n/a n/a 0 486
1994 451 15 7 13 6 n/a n/a 0 492
1995 528 9 12 23 4 n/a n/a 0 576
1996 528 9 12 23 4 n/a n/a 0 576
1997 523 9 16 19 24 n/a n/a 0 591
1998 552 6 23 31 17 n/a n/a 0 629
1999 499 6 23 31 20 n/a n/a 4 583
2000 473 1 18 37 29 n/a n/a 0 558
2001 448 4 15 58 40 n/a n/a 0 565
2002 441 3 15 55 40 n/a n/a 0 554
2003 441 3 15 55 40 n/a n/a 0 554
2004 557 5 21 73 45 n/a n/a 2 703
2005 583 7 19 79 39 n/a n/a 1 728
2006 565 1 16 79 33 n/a n/a 0 694
2007 361 1 12 37 20 n/a n/a 4 435
2008 325 2 7 42 18 n/a n/a 0 394
2009 319 2 10 43 18 0 3 0 395
2010 249 0 1 47 7 0 36 0 340
2011 264 1 3 40 13 0 29 0 350
2012 223 2 4 35 15 0 20 0 299
2013 312 3 10 48 15 0 25 0 413
2014 301 1 7 50 10 0 19 0 388
2015 289 2 7 57 7 0 14 0 376
2016 306 1 6 57 14 0 8 0 392
2017 294 1 11 53 20 2 7 0 388
2018 292 3 15 57 20 2 13 0 402
2019 301 4 7 59 13 2 18 0 404
2020 298 6 5 64 16 2 25 0 416
2021 290 7 3 67 11 1 27 0 406
2022 275 6 2 69 16 1 23 0 392
2023 258 4 5 74 17 0 26 0 384
2024 266 2 5 80 15 1 26 0 395

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 West Cottonwood Junior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 432 20.0 21.6 n/a
1989 426 20.0 21.3 n/a
1990 416 19.9 20.9 n/a
1991 413 19.9 20.7 n/a
1992 463 20.2 22.9 90.7
1993 486 21.0 23.1 37.4
1994 492 21.5 22.9 33.7
1995 576 26.5 21.7 38.4
1996 576 26.5 21.7 38.4
1997 591 27.4 21.6 35.9
1998 629 30.4 20.7 40.7
1999 583 30.9 18.9 38.7
2000 558 28.9 19.3 55.4
2001 565 29.9 18.9 55.4
2002 554 27.6 20.1 55.1
2003 554 27.6 20.1 55.1
2004 703 34.0 20.7 43.9
2005 728 36.0 20.2 43.6
2006 694 34.0 20.4 43.5
2007 435 36.0 12.1 69.4
2008 394 25.0 15.8 43.1
2009 395 18.0 19.9 0
2010 340 15.0 22.6 59.4
2011 350 n/a n/a 40.9
2012 299 13.7 21.7 n/a
2013 413 15.0 27.5 57.4
2014 388 16.5 23.5 45.6
2015 376 17.0 22.1 49.2
2016 392 18.0 21.7 52.3
2017 388 18.0 21.5 47.9
2018 402 19.1 21.0 52.5
2019 404 19.2 21.0 51.2
2020 416 n/a n/a 48.6
2021 406 22.0 18.4 50.5
2022 392 22.2 17.6 44.9
2023 384 23.1 16.6 48.2
2024 395 22.5 17.5 51.6

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 West Cottonwood Junior High

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 432 20.0 21.6 n/a
1989 426 20.0 21.3 n/a
1990 416 19.9 20.9 n/a
1991 413 19.9 20.7 n/a
1992 463 20.2 22.9 90.7
1993 486 21.0 23.1 37.4
1994 492 21.5 22.9 33.7
1995 576 26.5 21.7 38.4
1996 576 26.5 21.7 38.4
1997 591 27.4 21.6 35.9
1998 629 30.4 20.7 40.7
1999 583 30.9 18.9 38.7
2000 558 28.9 19.3 55.4
2001 565 29.9 18.9 55.4
2002 554 27.6 20.1 55.1
2003 554 27.6 20.1 55.1
2004 703 34.0 20.7 43.9
2005 728 36.0 20.2 43.6
2006 694 34.0 20.4 43.5
2007 435 36.0 12.1 69.4
2008 394 25.0 15.8 43.1
2009 395 18.0 19.9 0
2010 340 15.0 22.6 59.4
2011 350 n/a n/a 40.9
2012 299 13.7 21.7 n/a
2013 413 15.0 27.5 57.4
2014 388 16.5 23.5 45.6
2015 376 17.0 22.1 49.2
2016 392 18.0 21.7 52.3
2017 388 18.0 21.5 47.9
2018 402 19.1 21.0 52.5
2019 404 19.2 21.0 51.2
2020 416 n/a n/a 48.6
2021 406 22.0 18.4 50.5
2022 392 22.2 17.6 44.9
2023 384 23.1 16.6 48.2
2024 395 22.5 17.5 51.6

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 West Cottonwood Junior High

Help

YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2018 $8,358

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

Impact of COVID-19 on West Cottonwood Junior High

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 1031st of 2715 Middle schoolsRanks 920th of 2802 Middle schools
 5.1%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (West Cottonwood Junior High)52.452.6
 0.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Cottonwood Union Elementary)52.452.6
 0.2%
   5th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.746.7
 5%
5th Grade Mathematics (West Cottonwood Junior High)37.933.3
 4.6%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Cottonwood Union Elementary)37.933
 4.9%
   5th Grade Mathematics (California)3833.4
 4.6%
5th Grade Science (West Cottonwood Junior High)33.936.5
 2.7%
   5th Grade Science (Cottonwood Union Elementary)33.936.5
 2.7%
   5th Grade Science (California)31.731.9
 0.1%
6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (West Cottonwood Junior High)27.735.8
 8.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Cottonwood Union Elementary)27.735.8
 8.1%
   6th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)48.544.2
 4.3%
6th Grade Mathematics (West Cottonwood Junior High)32.121
 11.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Cottonwood Union Elementary)32.121
 11.2%
   6th Grade Mathematics (California)38.533.2
 5.3%
7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (West Cottonwood Junior High)60.852.7
 8.1%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Cottonwood Union Elementary)61.252.7
 8.5%
   7th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)51.447.4
 3.9%
7th Grade Mathematics (West Cottonwood Junior High)58.340.2
 18%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Cottonwood Union Elementary)57.740.2
 17.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (California)37.933.2
 4.7%
8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (West Cottonwood Junior High)38.751.9
 13.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (Cottonwood Union Elementary)38.751.9
 13.2%
   8th Grade English Language Arts/Literacy (California)49.445.7
 3.8%
8th Grade Mathematics (West Cottonwood Junior High)47.345.6
 1.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Cottonwood Union Elementary)47.345.6
 1.7%
   8th Grade Mathematics (California)36.629.9
 6.7%
8th Grade Science (West Cottonwood Junior High)30.135.4
 5.3%
   8th Grade Science (Cottonwood Union Elementary)30.135.4
 5.3%
   8th Grade Science (California)30.828.8
 2.1%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students404384
 5%
African American44
American Indian1317
 30.8%
Asian75
 28.6%
Hispanic5974
 25.4%
Pacific Islander20
 100%
White301258
 14.3%
Two or More Races1826
 44.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients51.2%48.2%
 3.1%


Schools Near West Cottonwood Junior High









Frequently Asked Questions about West Cottonwood Junior High

Students who attend West Cottonwood Junior High usually go on to attend West Valley Early College High

Students at West Cottonwood Junior High are 67% White, 20% Hispanic, 7% Two or more races, 4% American Indian, 1% Asian.

In the 2023-24 school year, 395 students attended West Cottonwood Junior High.

West Cottonwood Junior High ranks 924th of 2777 California middle schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 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 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.





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