Cottonwood Elementary

Summary:

Cottonwood Elementary is a public elementary school located in Casper, Wyoming, serving grades PK-5 with a total enrollment of 387 students. The school is part of the Natrona County School District #1, which is ranked 33 out of 42 districts in Wyoming and has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cottonwood Elementary has consistently ranked in the bottom third of Cottonwood Elementary over the past several years, with a ranking of 133 out of 147 schools in the 2023-2024 school year and a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's performance has been particularly low for female, male, and white student subgroups, ranking in the bottom quarter of Wyoming elementary schools in these categories. Pineview Elementary, Manor Heights Elementary, and Sagewood Elementary, which are also part of the Natrona County School District #1, generally perform better than Cottonwood Elementary.

Cottonwood Elementary's proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, and Science are significantly lower than the district and state averages across all grade levels. The school's performance for Hispanic, Special Education, and Low Socioeconomic Status (SES) student subgroups is generally better than its overall performance, but still lags behind the district and state averages. The school's high percentage of free and reduced-price lunch recipients, at 58.91% in the 2022-2023 school year, suggests a high proportion of students from low-income families, which may contribute to the school's persistent challenges in improving student outcomes.


Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

 1230 West 15th Street
       Casper, WY  82604


(307) 253-4700

District: Natrona County School District #1

SchoolDigger Rank:
133rd of 147 Wyoming Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $18,229 Help


Students who attend Cottonwood Elementary usually attend:

Middle:    C Y Middle School
    Casper Classical Academy
    Centennial Middle School
    Dean Morgan Middle School
High:    Kelly Walsh High School
    Natrona County High School

Student/teacher ratio:  13.6 Help
Number of students:  376

Racial breakdown:

White:
79.3%
Hispanic:
13.6%
Two or more races:
4.5%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  56.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Cottonwood Elementary ranks worse than 90.5% of elementary schools in Wyoming. It also ranks 15th among 18 ranked elementary schools in the Natrona County School District #1. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.81. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (79.3%), Hispanic (13.6%), two or more races (4.5%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 56.6% 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 is 13.6. 9 elementary schools in the Natrona County School District #1 have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
Help
Compare Cottonwood Elementary employs 27.5 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cottonwood Elementary is $18,229, which is the 4th highest among 18 elementary schools in the Natrona County School District #1.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cottonwood Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Cottonwood Elementary 133rd of 147 Wyoming public elementary schools. (See Cottonwood Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


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


Natrona County School District #1:

SchoolDigger ranks Natrona County School District #1 33rd of 42 Wyoming school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Cottonwood Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2008 10.80 147th 151 2.6%
2009 11.26 146th 150 2.7%
2010 16.33 141st 150 6.0%
2011 23.23 136th 152 10.5%
2012 50.85 78th 143 45.5%
2013 32.96 111th 142 21.8%
2015 33.36 115th 154 25.3%
2016 48.61 85th 148 42.6%
2017 48.04 87th 151 42.4%
2018 27.07 125th 147 15.0%
2019 12.36 145th 153 5.2%
2021 9.39 147th 153 3.9%
2022 10.16 135th 144 6.3%
2023 9.58 141st 146 3.4%
2024 16.81 133rd 147 9.5%
See the entire list of Wyoming Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Special Education students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 19.66 60th 64 6.3%
2019 20.99 66th 75 12.0%
2021 34.62 48th 71 32.4%
2023 41.52 48th 77 37.7%
2024 30.42 66th 84 21.4%
See the entire list of Best Wyoming 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 WY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 17.82 95th 99 4.0%
2019 15.24 126th 132 4.5%
2021 25.70 104th 119 12.6%
2022 29.80 83rd 110 24.5%
2023 20.10 105th 115 8.7%
2024 21.00 108th 122 11.5%
See the entire list of Best Wyoming 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 WY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 30.00 109th 125 12.8%
2019 15.51 126th 136 7.4%
2021 7.41 129th 132 2.3%
2022 11.48 122nd 126 3.2%
2023 8.92 124th 129 3.9%
2024 20.41 111th 125 11.2%
See the entire list of Best Wyoming Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 42.81 40th 72 44.4%
See the entire list of Best Wyoming Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.01 101st 126 19.8%
2019 11.22 133rd 138 3.6%
2021 20.68 120th 134 10.4%
2022 14.16 117th 127 7.9%
2023 10.90 126th 132 4.5%
2024 19.96 115th 130 11.5%
See the entire list of Best Wyoming Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.68 48th 70 31.4%
2019 36.06 55th 75 26.7%
2022 28.85 49th 60 18.3%
2023 14.94 52nd 55 5.5%
2024 45.10 36th 63 42.9%
See the entire list of Best Wyoming Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Elementary Schools WY State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 28.52 86th 103 16.5%
2019 10.83 119th 120 0.8%
2021 8.43 108th 113 4.4%
2022 9.10 100th 103 2.9%
2023 8.79 99th 101 2.0%
2024 11.90 99th 105 5.7%
See the entire list of Best Wyoming Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: Wyoming 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: 





Data source: Wyoming Department of Education

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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
2007 299 4 2 25 2 n/a n/a 0 332
2008 282 4 3 18 2 n/a n/a 0 309
2009 279 7 1 20 7 n/a n/a 0 314
2010 286 1 1 35 7 1 16 0 347
2011 278 2 1 37 6 1 20 0 345
2012 246 2 1 42 3 1 17 0 312
2013 274 1 1 36 4 0 17 0 333
2014 263 3 1 56 3 0 16 0 342
2015 265 2 1 59 2 0 19 0 348
2016 273 3 0 72 1 0 16 0 365
2017 270 3 0 64 2 0 11 0 350
2018 282 2 0 59 2 0 11 0 356
2019 297 3 0 49 4 4 14 0 371
2020 265 5 0 44 5 5 11 0 335
2021 294 2 0 46 3 4 13 0 362
2022 304 3 0 52 4 3 14 0 380
2023 306 6 0 54 3 3 15 0 387
2024 298 7 0 51 3 0 17 0 376

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
2007 332 30.0 11.1 46.7
2008 309 21.0 14.7 57.9
2009 314 20.7 15.2 56.4
2010 347 20.5 16.7 62.5
2011 345 n/a n/a 62
2012 312 26.2 11.8 57.4
2013 333 n/a n/a 53.8
2014 342 21.8 15.6 62.3
2015 348 24.0 14.5 58.3
2016 365 26.0 14.0 58.6
2017 350 25.0 14.0 59.7
2018 356 25.2 14.0 51.4
2019 371 27.4 13.5 57.4
2020 335 27.4 12.2 60
2021 362 27.1 13.3 60.5
2022 380 28.9 13.1 60
2023 387 29.0 13.3 58.9
2024 376 27.5 13.6 56.6

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 Cottonwood Elementary

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2007 332 30.0 11.1 46.7
2008 309 21.0 14.7 57.9
2009 314 20.7 15.2 56.4
2010 347 20.5 16.7 62.5
2011 345 n/a n/a 62
2012 312 26.2 11.8 57.4
2013 333 n/a n/a 53.8
2014 342 21.8 15.6 62.3
2015 348 24.0 14.5 58.3
2016 365 26.0 14.0 58.6
2017 350 25.0 14.0 59.7
2018 356 25.2 14.0 51.4
2019 371 27.4 13.5 57.4
2020 335 27.4 12.2 60
2021 362 27.1 13.3 60.5
2022 380 28.9 13.1 60
2023 387 29.0 13.3 58.9
2024 376 27.5 13.6 56.6

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 Cottonwood Elementary

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $1,790 (11.4%) $13,973 (88.6%) $15,762
2020 $1,581 (9.1%) $15,825 (90.9%) $17,407
2021 $3,459 (18.0%) $15,720 (82.0%) $19,179
2022 $2,853 (16.2%) $14,740 (83.8%) $17,592
2023 $3,545 (19.4%) $14,684 (80.6%) $18,229

Data source: Wyoming 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 145th of 153 Elementary schoolsRanks 141st of 146 Elementary schools
 1.8%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Cottonwood Elementary)35.924.6
 11.3%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Natrona County School District #1)49.843.9
 5.9%
   3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wyoming)54.848.3
 6.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cottonwood Elementary)37.732.9
 4.8%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Natrona County School District #1)50.652.1
 1.5%
   3rd Grade Mathematics (Wyoming)53.553.5
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cottonwood Elementary)37.327.6
 9.7%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Natrona County School District #1)43.340.4
 2.9%
   4th Grade English Language Arts (Wyoming)49.145.5
 3.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cottonwood Elementary)29.425
 4.4%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Natrona County School District #1)48.546
 2.5%
   4th Grade Mathematics (Wyoming)5351.1
 1.9%
4th Grade Science (Cottonwood Elementary)39.231.6
 7.6%
   4th Grade Science (Natrona County School District #1)46.645.3
 1.3%
   4th Grade Science (Wyoming)5250.2
 1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Cottonwood Elementary)1634.6
 18.6%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Natrona County School District #1)5149.6
 1.4%
   5th Grade English Language Arts (Wyoming)55.654.9
 0.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cottonwood Elementary)1619.2
 3.2%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Natrona County School District #1)50.246.4
 3.8%
   5th Grade Mathematics (Wyoming)55.453.7
 1.7%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students371387
 4.3%
African American36
 100%
American Indian43
 25%
Asian00
Hispanic4954
 10.2%
Pacific Islander43
 25%
White297306
 3%
Two or More Races1415
 7.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients57.4%58.9%
 1.5%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Cottonwood Elementary

Cottonwood Elementary ranks in the bottom 9.5% of Wyoming elementary schools.

Students at Cottonwood Elementary are 79% White, 14% Hispanic, 5% Two or more races, 2% African American.

In the 2023-24 school year, 376 students attended Cottonwood Elementary.


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