Enrollment
438
Alabama · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Cottondale, AL
Cottondale Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cottondale Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 39/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 010339001276
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 12
📋 Attendance 37
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottondale Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama schools.
- #2 of 4
- public schools in Cottondale · Resource Index
- 39
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- small classes for Alabama
- 79.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottondale Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 77% of Alabama schools. Computed live against every Alabama school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottondale Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Cottondale, AL.
School address
District: Tuscaloosa County · Alabama
NCES ID 010339001276 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
28.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.6:1
vs 17.7:1 Alabama avg
-12% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
79.6%
vs 58.8% Alabama avg
+35% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cottondale Elementary School compares with Alabama and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cottondale Elementary School
Cottondale Elementary School is a high-poverty, mid-sized combined-grade school in Cottondale, Alabama, enrolling 438 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 15.6:1 puts it in the smaller third of Alabama schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 79.6% of students eligible for free meals.
With 438 students, its enrollment sits close to the Alabama median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 1,365 scored Alabama schools.
Against 310 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #111.
Its student body is led by White (36%) and Hispanic or Latino (31%), more mixed than most schools in the state (diversity index 70/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 438 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.1% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Tuscaloosa County also operates Tuscaloosa County High School (1,607 students) and Hillcrest High School (1,434 students) alongside Cottondale Elementary School.
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 Cottondale Elementary School compares
Cottondale Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Alabama and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alabama | Alabama avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.6:1 | ▼ 12% | 17.7:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 79.6% | ▲ 35% | 58.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 438 | top 57% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.6:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
438
Bigger than 53% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
79.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 35% above the Alabama average of 58.8%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 12% below state mean
Top 23% in Alabama - lower ratio than 77% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
25.1%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$11,186
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alabama avg of $12,491
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 438 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
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: 1.4 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 35.6%
Hispanic or Latino 30.6%
African American 28.3%
Two or More 5.0%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Largest group: White at 35.6% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 69.7/100
Simpson diversity index - at 69.7, Cottondale Elementary School is more mixed than the Alabama school average of 42.5.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Tuscaloosa County, which includes Cottondale Elementary School.
$11,186
Per student
-10%
vs Alabama
Avg $12,491
-33%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.0%
State 58.1%
Federal 14.9%
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 Cottondale Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Hillcrest High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Brookwood High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Lake View Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Walker Elementary School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cottondale Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,607
- Students per teacher
- 17.9:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,434
- Students per teacher
- 20.2:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 1,076
- Students per teacher
- 18.9:1
- Resource Index
- 21/100
- Enrollment
- 744
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 743
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 42/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Alabama, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~438 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cottondale Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cottondale Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Tuscaloosa County'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 Cottondale Elementary School
How many students attend Cottondale Elementary School?
Cottondale Elementary School has 438 students enrolled. It is a public school in Cottondale, AL.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottondale Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottondale Elementary School is 15.6:1, which is 12% lower than the Alabama average of 17.7:1 and 1% 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 Cottondale Elementary School?
79.6% of students at Cottondale Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alabama average of 58.8%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottondale Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cottondale Elementary School is White at 35.6% of enrollment, in Cottondale, AL. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 69.7/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottondale Elementary School?
Cottondale Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 39/100 (typical 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 Cottondale Elementary School rank among public schools in Cottondale?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottondale Elementary School ranks #2 of 4 public schools in Cottondale, AL. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all public schools in Cottondale on the city page.
Is Cottondale Elementary School a good school?
Cottondale Elementary School earns 39/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 77% of Alabama schools. It is also more racially and ethnically mixed than most Alabama 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 Tuscaloosa County?
Besides Cottondale Elementary School, Tuscaloosa County also operates Tuscaloosa County High School (1,607 students), Hillcrest High School (1,434 students), and Brookwood High School (1,076 students). See the Tuscaloosa County 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.