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Cottonwood Elementary School

Summary:

Cottonwood Elementary School is a public elementary school in Montrose, Colorado, serving 403 students in grades K-5. As part of the Montrose County School District Re-1J, Cottonwood stands out for its consistently strong academic performance, less diverse student population, and lower percentage of students from low-income families compared to nearby schools.

Cottonwood Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state in CMAS test scores, with proficiency rates significantly higher in English Language Arts, Math, and Science. In 2023-2024, the school's proficiency rates were 53.4% in ELA, 41.3% in Math, and 44.8% in 5th-grade Science, compared to the district and state averages. This academic success may be attributed to the school's lower student-teacher ratio of 17.2, providing students with more individualized attention and support.

Cottonwood's student population is less diverse, with a higher percentage of White students (78.41%) and a lower percentage of Hispanic students (19.6%) compared to the surrounding Olathe Elementary School, Johnson Elementary School, Oak Grove Elementary School, Northside Elementary School, and Pomona Elementary School. Additionally, Cottonwood has a lower percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch (33.75%), suggesting a relatively higher socioeconomic status of its student population, which may also contribute to the school's academic success.


Detail:

Public K-5

 3500 Woodgate Road
       Montrose, CO  81401-7575

(970) 249-2539

District: Montrose County School District Re-1J

SchoolDigger Rank:
352nd of 943 Colorado Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $11,948 Help


Students who attend Cottonwood Elementary School usually attend:

Middle:    Centennial Middle School
High:    Montrose High School

Student/teacher ratio:  17.2 Help
Number of students:  403

Racial breakdown:

White:
78.4%
Hispanic:
19.6%
Asian:
1.0%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  33.7% Help


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Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details Cottonwood Elementary School ranks better than 62.7% of elementary schools in Colorado. It also ranks first among 6 ranked elementary schools in the Montrose County School District Re-1J! (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.1. (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 Cottonwood Elementary School has the largest elementary school student body size in the Montrose County School District Re-1J.  (See more...)
Teachers
Finance
Help
Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cottonwood Elementary School is $11,948. 3 elementary schools in the Montrose County School District Re-1J spend more per student.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cottonwood Elementary School:

SchoolDigger ranks Cottonwood Elementary School 352nd of 943 Colorado public elementary schools. (See Cottonwood Elementary School in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Female students:
Male students:
White students:


Montrose County School District Re-1J:

SchoolDigger ranks Montrose County School District Re-1J 68th of 116 Colorado school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Cottonwood Elementary School

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Rank History for all students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2004 52.67 418th 808 48.3%
2005 38.35 559th 823 32.1%
2006 62.97 342nd 829 58.7%
2007 68.99 270th 852 68.3%
2008 65.13 313th 849 63.1%
2009 55.85 422nd 872 51.6%
2010 62.95 374th 925 59.6%
2011 61.29 394th 935 57.9%
2012 57.47 426th 935 54.4%
2013 58.38 425th 954 55.5%
2014 60.16 395th 962 58.9%
2015 68.46 261st 938 72.2%
2016 71.49 235th 914 74.3%
2017 61.75 312th 929 66.4%
2018 66.76 267th 917 70.9%
2019 69.24 267th 965 72.3%
2021 40.30 446th 710 37.2%
2022 57.16 367th 921 60.2%
2023 71.97 233rd 933 75.0%
2024 61.10 352nd 943 62.7%
See the entire list of Colorado Elementary School Rankings!

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

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 68.93 61st 332 81.6%
See the entire list of Best Colorado 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 CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 64.56 237th 758 68.7%
2021 37.32 268th 351 23.6%
2022 52.39 281st 595 52.8%
2023 66.30 196th 642 69.5%
2024 50.98 314th 684 54.1%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 61.51 255th 764 66.6%
2021 22.19 309th 352 12.2%
2022 44.97 316th 594 46.8%
2023 59.88 236th 649 63.6%
2024 54.08 299th 683 56.2%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for White students at Cottonwood Elementary School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools CO State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 52.69 270th 596 54.7%
2024 53.17 257th 539 52.3%
See the entire list of Best Colorado Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Colorado 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: 
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Data source: Colorado Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Cottonwood Elementary School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1997 203 1 0 86 1 n/a n/a 0 291
1998 203 4 1 100 1 n/a n/a 0 309
1999 199 0 1 135 0 n/a n/a 0 335
2000 211 0 1 147 0 n/a n/a 0 359
2001 221 0 1 169 2 n/a n/a 0 393
2002 249 0 3 39 2 n/a n/a 0 293
2003 249 0 3 39 2 n/a n/a 0 293
2004 295 0 3 40 1 n/a n/a 0 339
2005 321 4 5 45 4 n/a n/a 0 379
2006 347 7 8 47 1 n/a n/a 0 410
2007 397 6 11 51 1 n/a n/a 0 466
2008 415 8 11 69 2 n/a n/a 0 505
2009 426 8 18 65 2 n/a n/a 0 519
2010 385 3 16 68 1 n/a n/a 0 473
2011 399 0 2 91 0 0 13 0 505
2012 373 3 1 79 0 0 10 0 466
2013 361 4 1 75 1 0 10 0 452
2014 358 5 2 69 1 0 15 0 450
2015 346 2 3 70 1 0 15 0 437
2016 371 3 1 73 2 0 9 0 459
2017 359 7 2 78 1 0 6 0 453
2018 332 2 2 70 1 0 9 0 416
2019 338 2 2 71 1 0 9 0 423
2020 339 2 3 76 1 0 10 0 431
2021 289 2 6 86 0 0 7 0 390
2022 333 0 5 90 0 0 5 0 433
2023 316 1 4 79 0 0 3 0 403

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
1997 291 14.0 20.8 32.3
1998 309 17.0 18.2 38.5
1999 335 18.5 18.1 43
2000 359 17.0 21.1 44.6
2001 393 19.8 19.8 51.7
2002 293 18.7 15.7 29.4
2003 293 18.7 15.7 29.4
2004 339 18.5 18.3 26.5
2005 379 21.7 17.5 27.2
2006 410 23.8 17.2 24.6
2007 466 23.5 19.8 27.3
2008 505 24.7 20.4 33.9
2009 519 24.7 21.0 39.5
2010 473 23.6 20.0 38.1
2011 505 25.1 20.1 38.8
2012 466 23.0 20.2 36.7
2013 452 23.9 18.8 32.5
2014 450 23.4 19.2 31.8
2015 437 26.0 16.8 30.2
2016 459 24.0 19.1 35.7
2017 453 23.3 19.4 31.8
2018 416 22.6 18.4 37.3
2019 423 22.9 18.4 40.9
2020 431 23.9 18.0 35.3
2021 390 22.4 17.4 38.2
2022 433 24.6 17.6 33.9
2023 403 23.3 17.2 33.7

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
1997 291 14.0 20.8 32.3
1998 309 17.0 18.2 38.5
1999 335 18.5 18.1 43
2000 359 17.0 21.1 44.6
2001 393 19.8 19.8 51.7
2002 293 18.7 15.7 29.4
2003 293 18.7 15.7 29.4
2004 339 18.5 18.3 26.5
2005 379 21.7 17.5 27.2
2006 410 23.8 17.2 24.6
2007 466 23.5 19.8 27.3
2008 505 24.7 20.4 33.9
2009 519 24.7 21.0 39.5
2010 473 23.6 20.0 38.1
2011 505 25.1 20.1 38.8
2012 466 23.0 20.2 36.7
2013 452 23.9 18.8 32.5
2014 450 23.4 19.2 31.8
2015 437 26.0 16.8 30.2
2016 459 24.0 19.1 35.7
2017 453 23.3 19.4 31.8
2018 416 22.6 18.4 37.3
2019 423 22.9 18.4 40.9
2020 431 23.9 18.0 35.3
2021 390 22.4 17.4 38.2
2022 433 24.6 17.6 33.9
2023 403 23.3 17.2 33.7

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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YearTotal Expenditures Per Pupil
2019 $9,252
2020 $9,823
2021 $10,596
2022 $10,578
2023 $11,948

Data source: Colorado 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 267th of 965 Elementary schoolsRanks 233rd of 933 Elementary schools
 2.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cottonwood Elementary School)38.746.2
 7.5%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Montrose County School District Re-1J)2728.1
 1.1%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)41.339.9
 1.4%
3rd Grade Math (Cottonwood Elementary School)48.747.4
 1.3%
   3rd Grade Math (Montrose County School District Re-1J)31.729.4
 2.3%
   3rd Grade Math (Colorado)4140.4
 0.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cottonwood Elementary School)55.961.3
 5.4%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Montrose County School District Re-1J)34.938
 3.1%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)4843.8
 4.2%
4th Grade Math (Cottonwood Elementary School)5047.6
 2.4%
   4th Grade Math (Montrose County School District Re-1J)25.620
 5.6%
   4th Grade Math (Colorado)33.632.7
 0.9%
5th Grade Science (Cottonwood Elementary School)60.561.2
 0.7%
   5th Grade Science (Montrose County School District Re-1J)32.230.3
 1.9%
   5th Grade Science (Colorado)35.933.9
 2%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Cottonwood Elementary School)51.261.8
 10.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Montrose County School District Re-1J)40.638.8
 1.8%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Colorado)48.447.8
 0.6%
5th Grade Math (Cottonwood Elementary School)51.241.2
 10%
   5th Grade Math (Montrose County School District Re-1J)27.620.6
 7%
   5th Grade Math (Colorado)35.736.5
 0.8%
All Grades English Language Arts (Cottonwood Elementary School)48.555.8
 7.3%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Montrose County School District Re-1J)41.838.3
 3.5%
   All Grades English Language Arts (Colorado)45.843.7
 2.1%
All Grades Math (Cottonwood Elementary School)5045.5
 4.5%
   All Grades Math (Montrose County School District Re-1J)26.823
 3.8%
   All Grades Math (Colorado)34.732.9
 1.8%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students423403
 4.7%
African American21
 50%
American Indian10
 100%
Asian24
 100%
Hispanic7179
 11.3%
Pacific Islander00
White338316
 6.5%
Two or More Races93
 66.7%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients40.9%33.7%
 7.2%

Schools Near Cottonwood Elementary School








Frequently Asked Questions about Cottonwood Elementary School

In the 2022-23 school year, 403 students attended Cottonwood Elementary School.

Students who attend Cottonwood Elementary School usually go on to attend:

Middle : Centennial Middle School
High : Montrose High School

Cottonwood Elementary School ranks 352nd of 943 Colorado elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Cottonwood Elementary School are 78% White, 20% Hispanic.


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