Enrollment
485
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Grass Valley, CA
Cottage Hill Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cottage Hill Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 063093007330
👥 S:T ratio 3
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 64
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottage Hill Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of California schools.
- #3 of 12
- elementary schools in Grass Valley · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 24.3:1
- large classes for California
- 30.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottage Hill Elementary has class sizes larger than 74% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottage Hill Elementary ranks #3 of 12 elementary schools in Grass Valley, CA.
School address
District: Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 063093007330 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
20.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
24.3:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+13% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
30.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-45% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cottage Hill Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cottage Hill Elementary
Cottage Hill Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Grass Valley, California, enrolling 485 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 24.3:1 puts it in the larger third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 30.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 485 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Among 1,285 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need California schools statewide, it ranks #1,000, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (69%) and Hispanic or Latino (17%) (diversity index 49/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 970 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
14.6% of students were chronically absent in the 2021-22 collection, in line with the post-pandemic national range.
The surrounding Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary spends $12,557 per pupil, 24% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Grass Valley's elementary schools, it stands alongside Grass Valley Charter (546 students): Cottage Hill Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (24.3:1 vs 24.8:1).
Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary also operates Magnolia Intermediate (410 students) and Alta Sierra Elementary (338 students) alongside Cottage Hill 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 Hill Elementary compares
Cottage Hill Elementary on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 24.3:1 | ▲ 13% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 30.3% | ▼ 45% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 485 | top 48% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
24.3:1
Leaner classes than 6% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
485
Bigger than 60% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
30.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 45% below the California average of 55.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
24.3:1
students per teacher
- 13% above state mean
Top 74% in California - lower ratio than 26% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
14.6%
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
$12,557
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.5 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 1.2 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 68.5%
Hispanic or Latino 17.3%
Two or More 12.4%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.0%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.4%
African American 0.2%
Asian 0.2%
Largest group: White at 68.5% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 48.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 48.5, Cottage Hill Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary, which includes Cottage Hill Elementary.
$12,557
Per student
-24%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-24%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 58.8%
State 31.1%
Federal 10.1%
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 Hill Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Intermediate | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Alta Sierra Elementary | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Arete Charter Academy | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cottage Hill Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 410
- Students per teacher
- 22.8:1
- Resource Index
- 14/100
- Enrollment
- 338
- Students per teacher
- 22.5:1
- Resource Index
- 19/100
- Enrollment
- 207
- Students per teacher
- 20.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
Similar elementary schools in Grass Valley
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Grass Valley Charter
Standard public school
546 students 24.8:1 students per teacher
Union Hill Elementary
Standard public school
542 students 20.8:1 students per teacher
Lyman Gilmore Middle
Standard public school
464 students 17.2:1 students per teacher
Margaret G. Scotten Elementary
Standard public school
357 students 19.8:1 students per teacher
Alta Sierra Elementary
Standard public school
338 students 22.5:1 students per teacher
Yuba River Charter
Standard public school
323 students 23.1:1 students per teacher
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of California, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~485 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~24.3:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cottage Hill Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cottage Hill Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary'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 Hill Elementary
How many students attend Cottage Hill Elementary?
Cottage Hill Elementary has 485 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Grass Valley, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottage Hill Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottage Hill Elementary is 24.3:1, which is 13% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 55% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottage Hill Elementary?
30.3% of students at Cottage Hill Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottage Hill Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cottage Hill Elementary is White at 68.5% of enrollment, in Grass Valley, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottage Hill Elementary?
Cottage Hill Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cottage Hill Elementary rank among elementary schools in Grass Valley?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottage Hill Elementary ranks #3 of 12 elementary schools in Grass Valley, CA. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Grass Valley on the city page.
Is Cottage Hill Elementary a good school?
Cottage Hill Elementary earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 74% of California 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 Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary?
Besides Cottage Hill Elementary, Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary also operates Magnolia Intermediate (410 students), Alta Sierra Elementary (338 students), and Arete Charter Academy (207 students). See the Pleasant Ridge Union Elementary 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.