Enrollment
432
Minnesota · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cottage Grove, MN
Cottage Grove Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cottage Grove Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 60/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 273381003169
👥 S:T ratio 36
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 75
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottage Grove Elementary earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Cottage Grove · Resource Index
- 60
- Resource Index · Higher
- 16:1
- students per teacher
- 18.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottage Grove Elementary has class sizes near the Minnesota median. Computed live against every Minnesota school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottage Grove Elementary ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Cottage Grove, MN.
School address
District: South Washington County Schools · Minnesota
NCES ID 273381003169 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
27.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
16:1
vs 15.8:1 Minnesota avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
18.4%
vs 42.8% Minnesota avg
-57% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cottage Grove Elementary compares with Minnesota and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cottage Grove Elementary
Cottage Grove Elementary is a lower-poverty, mid-sized elementary school in Cottage Grove, Minnesota, enrolling 432 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 16:1 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 18.4% free-meal eligibility runs 57% below the Minnesota average.
Enrollment of 432 puts it in the larger third of Minnesota schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index outscores 92% of the 2,334 Minnesota schools with a score on record, a top-tier result on this measure.
Among 358 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Minnesota schools statewide, it ranks #16, a top-tier result once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (56%) and Asian (19%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 63/100).
10.2% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
South Washington County Schools also operates East Ridge High School (2,072 students) and Park High School (1,992 students) alongside Cottage Grove Elementary.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Cottage Grove Elementary compares
Cottage Grove Elementary on the metrics families compare, against Minnesota and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Minnesota | Minnesota avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 16:1 | ▲ 1% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 18.4% | ▼ 57% | 42.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 432 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
16:1
Leaner classes than 38% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
432
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
18.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 57% below the Minnesota average of 42.8%
Below the 40% Title I threshold, among the lower-need profiles in the state; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
16:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 62% in Minnesota - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
10.2%
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
$13,382
per pupil, district-wide
- below Minnesota avg of $15,270
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.0 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
White 55.6%
Asian 19.2%
African American 11.3%
Two or More 9.7%
Hispanic or Latino 3.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.2%
Largest group: White at 55.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 63.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 63.0, Cottage Grove Elementary is more mixed than the Minnesota school average of 42.8.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for South Washington County Schools, which includes Cottage Grove Elementary.
$13,382
Per student
-12%
vs Minnesota
Avg $15,270
-19%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 34.1%
State 59.0%
Federal 6.9%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Cottage Grove Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Ridge High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Park High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodbury High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lake Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Woodbury Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cottage Grove Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,072
- Students per teacher
- 44.1:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,992
- Students per teacher
- 36.2:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 1,943
- Students per teacher
- 43.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,165
- Students per teacher
- 53:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,160
- Students per teacher
- 38.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Minnesota, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~432 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~16:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cottage Grove Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cottage Grove Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- South Washington County Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Cottage Grove Elementary
How many students attend Cottage Grove Elementary?
Cottage Grove Elementary has 432 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cottage Grove, MN.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottage Grove Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottage Grove Elementary is 16:1, which is 1% higher than the Minnesota average of 15.8:1 and 2% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottage Grove Elementary?
18.4% of students at Cottage Grove Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Minnesota average of 42.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottage Grove Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cottage Grove Elementary is White at 55.6% of enrollment, in Cottage Grove, MN. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 63.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottage Grove Elementary?
Cottage Grove Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 60/100 (higher reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cottage Grove Elementary rank among elementary schools in Cottage Grove?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottage Grove Elementary ranks #2 of 3 elementary 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 elementary schools in Cottage Grove on the city page.
Is Cottage Grove Elementary a good school?
Cottage Grove Elementary earns 60/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Minnesota median. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Minnesota schools. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in South Washington County Schools?
Besides Cottage Grove 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.
Related tools
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. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.