Other / mixed grade configuration · Cottage Grove, MN

Armstrong Elementary

Federal NCES profile for Armstrong Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 63/100.

2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 273381001537
0/100100/10063/100
👥 S:T ratio
55
🌟 Gifted program
70
📋 Attendance
64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →

The verdict

Armstrong Elementary earns 63/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 76% of Minnesota schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.

#1 of 4
schools in Cottage Grove · Resource Index
63
Resource Index · Higher
11.2:1
small classes for Minnesota
32.6%
free-lunch eligible

Armstrong Elementary has class sizes smaller than 76% of Minnesota schools. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.

By Resource Investment Index, Armstrong Elementary ranks #1 of 4 schools in Cottage Grove, MN.

CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24

-14 students YoY

Armstrong Elementary held near 308 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-14 headcount).

Teacher FTE lost 29.5 → 29.1 across the same CCD years.

Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).

Steady CCD campus

-14 students YoY 273381001537 · Cottage Grove, MN Other · SMALL · TRAD

325 enr · 11.2:1 · 32.6% lunch · RII 63

Nearest enrollment peer: East Ridge High School (2,072 students)

Armstrong Elementary held near 308 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-14 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 29.5 → 29.1 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Minnesota schools → · Find another →

Armstrong Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood

Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers

students

What this shows Armstrong Elementary reports 325 students on the CCD universe file.

Source U.S. Department of Education, NCES Common Core of Data (Public School Universe) As of 2024-25

How Armstrong Elementary compares

Armstrong Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Minnesota and U.S. means.

Metric This school vs Minnesota Minnesota avg U.S. avg
Students per teacher 11.2:1 ▼ 29% 15.8:1 15.7:1
Free-lunch eligible 32.6% ▼ 24% 42.8% 51.7%
Enrollment 325 top 44% - -

Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25

11.2:1
Leaner classes than 82% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
325
Bigger than 36% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.

Equity indicators methodology

Economic need
32.6%
free-lunch eligible - 24% below the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
11.2:1
students per teacher - 29% below state mean
Top 24% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 76% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
14.5%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 10-15% range, above the pre-pandemic national baseline but within the broader post-pandemic picture.
Funding equity
$13,992
per pupil, district-wide - below Minnesota avg of $15,919
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
2
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.6 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.

Student demographics

White 53.2%
Asian 13.2%
Hispanic or Latino 12.0%
Two or More 11.1%
African American 10.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%

Largest group: White at 53.2% of enrollment.

Student-body diversity index 66.2/100

Simpson diversity index - at 66.2, Armstrong Elementary is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.

Programs

Gifted & talented Yes

District finance for South Washington County Schools reports $13,992 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.

How Armstrong Elementary Compares to District-Mates

School Enrollment Economic Profile Student-Teacher Ratio
East Ridge High School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio
Park High School Larger Similar economic need Higher S:T ratio
Woodbury High School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio
Lake Middle School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio
Woodbury Middle School Larger Lower economic need Higher S:T ratio

Comparisons are relative to Armstrong Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.

Other Schools in This District

South Washington County Schools · 5 sibling schools

View district profile

Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing

Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.

Frequently asked questions about Armstrong Elementary

How many students attend Armstrong Elementary?

Armstrong Elementary has 325 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cottage Grove, MN. CCD year-over-year: 322 (2022-23) → 308 (2023-24), nearly flat (-14).

What is the student-teacher ratio at Armstrong Elementary?

The student-teacher ratio at Armstrong Elementary is 11.2:1, which is 29% lower than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 29% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.

What percentage of students receive free lunch at Armstrong Elementary?

32.6% of students at Armstrong Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.

What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Armstrong Elementary?

The largest demographic group at Armstrong Elementary is White at 53.2% of enrollment, in Cottage Grove, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.2/100.

What is the Resource Investment Index for Armstrong Elementary?

Armstrong Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 63/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).

How does Armstrong Elementary rank among schools in Cottage Grove?

By Resource Investment Index, Armstrong Elementary ranks #1 of 4 schools in Cottage Grove, MN. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Cottage Grove on the city page.

What other schools are in South Washington County Schools?

Besides Armstrong Elementary, South Washington County Schools also operates East Ridge High School (2,072 students), Park High School (1,992 students), and Woodbury High School (1,943 students). See the South Washington County Schools district page for the complete list.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) CCD + Public School Universe (2024-25), CRDC (2021-22), F-33 District Finance Survey (FY 2022-23) · 2024-25 Data as of the 2024-25 school year. Coverage from U.S. Department of Education NCES Common Core of Data. Varies by entity type; administrative districts and certain charter networks may report only a subset of fields.

All federal data sources used on this page

Full source list and how we compute each figure: methodology page.

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