Enrollment
813
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Lake Elsinore, CA
Cottonwood Canyon Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cottonwood Canyon Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060002710587
👥 S:T ratio 10
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 18
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottonwood Canyon Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #1 of 12
- elementary schools in Lake Elsinore · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 22.6:1
- students per teacher
- 39.3%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottonwood Canyon Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Canyon Elementary ranks #1 of 12 elementary schools in Lake Elsinore, CA.
School address
District: Lake Elsinore Unified · California
NCES ID 060002710587 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
36.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
22.6:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+5% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
39.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-29% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cottonwood Canyon Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cottonwood Canyon Elementary
Cottonwood Canyon Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Lake Elsinore, California, enrolling 813 students.
At 22.6:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 39.3% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 813 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,126 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #403.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (46%) and White (35%) (diversity index 65/100).
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 32.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Among Lake Elsinore's elementary schools, it stands alongside Lakeland Village (909 students): Cottonwood Canyon Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (22.6:1 vs 20.7:1).
Lake Elsinore Unified also operates Temescal Canyon High (2,373 students) and Elsinore High (1,927 students) alongside Cottonwood Canyon 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 Cottonwood Canyon Elementary compares
Cottonwood Canyon 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 | 22.6:1 | ▲ 5% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.3% | ▼ 29% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 813 | top 17% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
22.6:1
Leaner classes than 9% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
813
Bigger than 86% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
39.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 29% 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
22.6:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 59% in California - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
32.6%
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
$14,740
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
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 + 5 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.6 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
Hispanic or Latino 46.0%
White 35.4%
Two or More 6.8%
African American 6.4%
Asian 4.8%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 46.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 65.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 65.2, Cottonwood Canyon Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lake Elsinore Unified, which includes Cottonwood Canyon Elementary.
$14,740
Per student
-11%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-11%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 25.9%
State 61.4%
Federal 12.6%
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 Cottonwood Canyon Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Temescal Canyon High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Elsinore High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Lakeside High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| David a. Brown Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Terra Cotta Middle | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cottonwood Canyon Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,373
- Students per teacher
- 27.3:1
- Resource Index
- 25/100
- Enrollment
- 1,927
- Students per teacher
- 22.7:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 1,687
- Students per teacher
- 23.4:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 1,030
- Students per teacher
- 27.1:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 1,026
- Students per teacher
- 23.9:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
Similar elementary schools in Lake Elsinore
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Lakeland Village
Standard public school
909 students 20.7:1 students per teacher
Railroad Canyon Elementary
Standard public school
873 students 24.3:1 students per teacher
Earl Warren Elementary
Standard public school
821 students 24.1:1 students per teacher
Herk Bouris Elementary
Standard public school
734 students 22.2:1 students per teacher
Tuscany Hills Elementary
Standard public school
606 students 20.2:1 students per teacher
Rice Canyon Elementary
Standard public school
596 students 21.3:1 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 (~813 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~22.6:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cottonwood Canyon Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cottonwood Canyon Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Lake Elsinore Unified'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 Cottonwood Canyon Elementary
How many students attend Cottonwood Canyon Elementary?
Cottonwood Canyon Elementary has 813 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Lake Elsinore, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Canyon Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Canyon Elementary is 22.6:1, which is 5% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 44% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottonwood Canyon Elementary?
39.3% of students at Cottonwood Canyon Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottonwood Canyon Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cottonwood Canyon Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 46.0% of enrollment, in Lake Elsinore, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 65.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottonwood Canyon Elementary?
Cottonwood Canyon Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical 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 Cottonwood Canyon Elementary rank among elementary schools in Lake Elsinore?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Canyon Elementary ranks #1 of 12 elementary schools in Lake Elsinore, 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 Lake Elsinore on the city page.
Is Cottonwood Canyon Elementary a good school?
Cottonwood Canyon Elementary earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median. 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 Lake Elsinore Unified?
Besides Cottonwood Canyon Elementary, Lake Elsinore Unified also operates Temescal Canyon High (2,373 students), Elsinore High (1,927 students), and Lakeside High (1,687 students). See the Lake Elsinore Unified 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.