Cottonwood Joint District

Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. District totals are aggregated directly from the schools reporting under this district in the source records. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.

Cottonwood, Idaho - 2 schools

An equity score of 60/100 ranks Cottonwood Joint District #42 of 139 districts in Idaho (state average 48). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.

At $10,716 per pupil, Cottonwood Joint District ranks #81 of 171 Idaho districts by per-pupil spending (Idaho districts). NCES F-33 finance data.

441
Total Enrollment
2
Schools
$10,716
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types

District-Level NCES Analysis

Cottonwood Joint District operates 2 public schools serving 441 students, placing it among the smallest districts in Idaho. The school portfolio breaks down into 2 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Idaho County.

Per-pupil expenditure runs $10,716 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the upper half of 171 Idaho districts by per-pupil spending. See how Idaho compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 10.6% local, 67.0% state, and 22.3% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 60/100, ranked #42 of 139 in Idaho against a state average of 48, notably more even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.

a 160.2:1 student-counselor ratio, that meets the ASCA-recommended benchmark, . Demographically, the student body averages 95.5% White, 1.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% African American across the district's schools.

Its largest campus is Prairie Elementary School, enrolling 222 students (52% of the district's total enrollment).

Prairie Elementary School accounts for 50.3% of all Cottonwood Joint District student enrollment

That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Cottonwood Joint District a distant remainder — means Cottonwood Joint District-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data NCES Common Core of Data

Cottonwood Joint District student-counselor ratio is 160:1 — well below typical (typically associated with unusually small scale or exceptionally high per-unit investment)

student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Values this far below typical often correlate with unusually small scale or population characteristics rather than higher resource budgets per se — worth checking whether the underlying denominator is itself an outlier.

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection NCES Civil Rights Data Collection

Where does the funding come from?

22.3%
Federal
67.0%
State
10.6%
Local

Funding Equity

60
Equity Score
42 / 139
State Rank
48
State Average

This district has moderate funding equity. There may be room to improve funding diversity or resource allocation.

Student Demographics

Average demographic composition across 2 schools in Cottonwood Joint District.

White 95.5%
Hispanic or Latino 1.9%
Multiracial 1.9%

Source: NCES CCD School Membership 2024-25.

Programs & Resources

160.2:1
Student-Counselor Ratio

Source: NCES Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) 2021-22.

Schools in Cottonwood Joint District

School Enrollment
Prairie Elementary School
222
Prairie Jr/Sr High School
204

How Cottonwood Joint District Compares to Similar-Size Districts

The Idaho districts closest to this one in total enrollment.

District Enrollment Spending Funding Mix
Gem Prep: Meridian Llc Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Gem Prep: Pocatello Llc Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Gem Prep: Nampa Llc Similar size No spending data Similar funding mix
Mosaics Public School Inc. Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix
Hayden Canyon Charter School Inc. Similar size Lower spending Similar funding mix

Comparisons are relative to Cottonwood Joint District's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.

Nearby Districts in Idaho

Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.

Joint School District No. 2
39,496 students · 61 schools · $8,438/pupil
Compare vs Cottonwood Joint District →
Boise Independent District
22,809 students · 51 schools · $12,278/pupil
Compare vs Cottonwood Joint District →
Bonneville Joint District
13,778 students · 26 schools · $8,318/pupil
Compare vs Cottonwood Joint District →
Nampa School District
13,398 students · 25 schools · $10,958/pupil
Compare vs Cottonwood Joint District →
Pocatello District
12,259 students · 25 schools · $8,862/pupil
Compare vs Cottonwood Joint District →

Compare Cottonwood Joint District

See how this district compares to others in enrollment, spending, demographics, and academic resources.

Compare vs Joint School District No. 2 →

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Cottonwood Joint District?

Cottonwood Joint District has 2 schools, including 2 combined. Total enrollment is 441 students.

How much does Cottonwood Joint District spend per student?

Cottonwood Joint District spends $10,716 per student. The district has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #42 in Idaho.

What is the demographic composition of Cottonwood Joint District?

Cottonwood Joint District students are 95.5% White, 1.9% Hispanic or Latino, 0.5% African American, 0.3% Asian, averaged across 2 schools. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.

What is the equity score for Cottonwood Joint District?

Cottonwood Joint District has an equity score of 60/100, ranking #42 out of 139 districts in Idaho.