Is Cottonwood Elementary a good school?

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

How many students attend Cottonwood Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 387 students attended Cottonwood Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Cottonwood Elementary?

Students at Cottonwood Elementary are 79% White, 14% Hispanic, 4% Two or more races, 2% African American.

What schools do graduates of Cottonwood Elementary attend?

Students who attend Cottonwood Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : C Y Middle School Middle : Casper Classical Academy Middle : Centennial Middle School Middle : Dean Morgan Middle School High : Kelly Walsh High School High : Natrona County High School

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:
133^rd of 147 Wyoming Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $18,229

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: 13.3

Number of students: 387

Racial breakdown:

White:

79.1%

Hispanic:

14.0%

Two or more races:

3.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 58.9%

See top rated Wyoming elementary schools

Compare Cottonwood Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Cottonwood Elementary ranks worse than 90.5% of elementary schools in Wyoming. It also ranks 15^th among 18 ranked elementary schools in the Natrona County School District #1. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.81. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: White (79.1%), Hispanic (14%), two or more races (3.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 58.9% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary is 13.3, which is the 5^th best among 18 elementary schools in the Natrona County School District #1. (See more...)

Compare Cottonwood Elementary employs 29 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cottonwood Elementary is $18,229, which is the 4^th highest among 18 elementary schools in the Natrona County School District #1.

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cottonwood Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Cottonwood Elementary 133^rd 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 33^rd of 42 Wyoming school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Your rating for Cottonwood Elementary?

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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
2008	10.80	147^th	151	2.6%
2009	11.26	146^th	150	2.7%
2010	16.33	141^st	150	6.0%
2011	23.23	136^th	152	10.5%
2012	50.85	78^th	143	45.5%
2013	32.96	111^th	142	21.8%
2015	33.36	115^th	154	25.3%
2016	48.61	85^th	148	42.6%
2017	48.04	87^th	151	42.4%
2018	27.07	125^th	147	15.0%
2019	12.36	145^th	153	5.2%
2021	9.39	147^th	153	3.9%
2022	10.16	135^th	144	6.3%
2023	9.58	141^st	146	3.4%
2024	16.81	133^rd	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
2018	19.66	60^th	64	6.3%
2019	20.99	66^th	75	12.0%
2021	34.62	48^th	71	32.4%
2023	41.52	48^th	77	37.7%
2024	30.42	66^th	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
2018	17.82	95^th	99	4.0%
2019	15.24	126^th	132	4.5%
2021	25.70	104^th	119	12.6%
2022	29.80	83^rd	110	24.5%
2023	20.10	105^th	115	8.7%
2024	21.00	108^th	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
2018	30.00	109^th	125	12.8%
2019	15.51	126^th	136	7.4%
2021	7.41	129^th	132	2.3%
2022	11.48	122^nd	126	3.2%
2023	8.92	124^th	129	3.9%
2024	20.41	111^th	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	40^th	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
2018	29.01	101^st	126	19.8%
2019	11.22	133^rd	138	3.6%
2021	20.68	120^th	134	10.4%
2022	14.16	117^th	127	7.9%
2023	10.90	126^th	132	4.5%
2024	19.96	115^th	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
2018	38.68	48^th	70	31.4%
2019	36.06	55^th	75	26.7%
2022	28.85	49^th	60	18.3%
2023	14.94	52^nd	55	5.5%
2024	45.10	36^th	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
2018	28.52	86^th	103	16.5%
2019	10.83	119^th	120	0.8%
2021	8.43	108^th	113	4.4%
2022	9.10	100^th	103	2.9%
2023	8.79	99^th	101	2.0%
2024	11.90	99^th	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.

Data source: Wyoming Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Cottonwood Elementary

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

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

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

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

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

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

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total 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 145^th of 153 Elementary schools	Ranks 141^st 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)	35.9	24.6	11.3%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Natrona County School District #1)	49.8	43.9	5.9%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Wyoming)	54.8	48.3	6.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Cottonwood Elementary)	37.7	32.9	4.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Natrona County School District #1)	50.6	52.1	1.5%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Wyoming)	53.5	53.5
4th Grade English Language Arts (Cottonwood Elementary)	37.3	27.6	9.7%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Natrona County School District #1)	43.3	40.4	2.9%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Wyoming)	49.1	45.5	3.6%
4th Grade Mathematics (Cottonwood Elementary)	29.4	25	4.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Natrona County School District #1)	48.5	46	2.5%
4th Grade Mathematics (Wyoming)	53	51.1	1.9%
4th Grade Science (Cottonwood Elementary)	39.2	31.6	7.6%
4th Grade Science (Natrona County School District #1)	46.6	45.3	1.3%
4th Grade Science (Wyoming)	52	50.2	1.8%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Cottonwood Elementary)	16	34.6	18.6%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Natrona County School District #1)	51	49.6	1.4%
5th Grade English Language Arts (Wyoming)	55.6	54.9	0.7%
5th Grade Mathematics (Cottonwood Elementary)	16	19.2	3.2%
5th Grade Mathematics (Natrona County School District #1)	50.2	46.4	3.8%
5th Grade Mathematics (Wyoming)	55.4	53.7	1.7%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	371	387	4.3%
African American	3	6	100%
American Indian	4	3	25%
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	49	54	10.2%
Pacific Islander	4	3	25%
White	297	306	3%
Two or More Races	14	15	7.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	57.4%	58.9%	1.5%

Schools Near Cottonwood Elementary

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				WY-TOPP English Language Arts (2024)				WY-TOPP Mathematics (2024)				WY-TOPP Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	WY-TOPP English Language Arts 3rd Grade	WY-TOPP English Language Arts 4th Grade	WY-TOPP English Language Arts 5th Grade	WY-TOPP English Language Arts 6th Grade	WY-TOPP Mathematics 3rd Grade	WY-TOPP Mathematics 4th Grade	WY-TOPP Mathematics 5th Grade	WY-TOPP Mathematics 6th Grade	WY-TOPP Science 4th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Cottonwood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	1230 West 15th Street	Casper	82604	Natrona County	Natrona County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 253-4700	387	29	13.3	58.9%	306 (79.1%)	6 (1.6%)	54 (14.0%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.8%)	3 (0.8%)	15 (3.9%)	16.8	133^rd of 147 public elementary schools	9.5%		9.6	141^st of 146 public elementary schools	3.4%	8	38.8	37.3	21.1		44.9	32.8	21.1		42.4	$18,229	$3,545	$14,684
Park Elementary	Public	K-5	140 West 9th Street	Casper	82601	Natrona County	Natrona County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	No	(307) 253-3200	355	21	16.8	26.2%	282 (79.4%)	3 (0.8%)	57 (16.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (3.7%)	46.3	90^th of 147 public elementary schools	38.8%		32.4	116^th of 146 public elementary schools	20.5%	26	63.2	36.4	54.7		73.7	40.6	43.8		48.5	$14,002	$1,928	$12,073
Journey Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2014 Hickory Street	Casper	82604	Natrona County	Natrona County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 253-3700	396	26	15.4	53.5%	300 (75.8%)	4 (1.0%)	42 (10.6%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (10.1%)	16.2	134^th of 147 public elementary schools	8.8%		7	142^nd of 146 public elementary schools	2.7%	8	46.3	25.5	22.8		42.6	31.4	19.3		43.1	$15,672	$3,667	$12,004
Southridge Elementary	Public	K-5	1600 West 29th Street	Casper	82604	Natrona County	Natrona County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	No	(307) 253-1900	330	21	15.7	25.2%	278 (84.2%)	0 (0.0%)	36 (10.9%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	15 (4.5%)	71.8	33^rd of 147 public elementary schools	77.6%		60.3	55^th of 146 public elementary schools	62.3%	22	72.6	61.5	48.1		80.4	71.2	57.7		61.5	$15,693	$2,051	$13,641
Wyoming Classical Academy	Public, Charter	K-6	420 2nd Street	Mills	82644	Natrona County	Wyoming Classical Academy	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(307) 251-3101	0				0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	36.1	108^th of 147 public elementary schools	26.5%					(n/a)	36.8	48.2	53.9	69.0	31.6	33.3	50.0	51.7	40.7
Sagewood Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	2451 Shattuck Avenue	Casper	82601	Natrona County	Natrona County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 253-3300	344	22	15.9	43.0%	259 (75.3%)	2 (0.6%)	48 (14.0%)	5 (1.5%)	6 (1.7%)	1 (0.3%)	23 (6.7%)	61.1	63^rd of 147 public elementary schools	57.1%		60.8	53^rd of 146 public elementary schools	63.7%	10	55.1	52.0	61.5		67.4	60.0	57.7		54.0	$15,024	$3,242	$11,782
Crest Hill Elementary	Public	K-5	4445 South Poplar	Casper	82601	Natrona County	Natrona County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	No	(307) 253-4200	287	23	12.4	39.0%	240 (83.6%)	2 (0.7%)	24 (8.4%)	1 (0.3%)	4 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (5.6%)	46.3	91^st of 147 public elementary schools	38.1%		20.4	127^th of 146 public elementary schools	13.0%	36	54.4	45.1	57.1		67.4	54.9	31.0		47.1	$18,285	$1,944	$16,341
Ft. Caspar Academy	Public	K-5	4100 West 38th Street	Casper	82604	Natrona County	Natrona County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	No	(307) 253-3400	405	29	13.9	26.7%	314 (77.5%)	13 (3.2%)	53 (13.1%)	3 (0.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.9%)	86.1	11^th of 147 public elementary schools	92.5%		85.6	13^th of 146 public elementary schools	91.1%	2	72.7	61.5	74.5		83.1	73.9	78.4		64.6	$15,952	$1,928	$14,024
Lincoln Elementary School	Public	PK, KG-5	945 North Jane Street	Casper	82601	Natrona County	Natrona County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 253-4100	459	31	15.0	66.7%	247 (53.8%)	6 (1.3%)	174 (37.9%)	6 (1.3%)	10 (2.2%)	0 (0.0%)	16 (3.5%)	34.4	113^th of 147 public elementary schools	23.1%		30.5	118^th of 146 public elementary schools	19.2%	5	41.2	40.0	45.5		59.4	46.0	55.2		36.0	$16,297	$3,764	$12,533
Pineview Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	639 Payne Avenue	Casper	82609	Natrona County	Natrona County School District #1	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(307) 253-6000	309	27	11.6	49.8%	244 (79.0%)	3 (1.0%)	44 (14.2%)	1 (0.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (5.5%)	42.3	96^th of 147 public elementary schools	34.7%		27.8	122^nd of 146 public elementary schools	16.4%	26	39.0	30.8	61.5		49.2	51.9	73.1		44.2	$17,186	$3,822	$13,364

Cottonwood Elementary

Cottonwood Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Natrona County School District #1:

What do you think?

Rank History for Cottonwood Elementary

Rank History for all students at Cottonwood Elementary

Rank History for Special Education students at Cottonwood Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cottonwood Elementary

Rank History for Female students at Cottonwood Elementary

Rank History for Disabled students at Cottonwood Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Cottonwood Elementary

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cottonwood Elementary

Rank History for White students at Cottonwood Elementary

Enrollment information for Cottonwood Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cottonwood Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Cottonwood Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Cottonwood Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Cottonwood Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Cottonwood Elementary

Frequently Asked Questions about Cottonwood Elementary

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