Enrollment
759
New Mexico · 2024-25 NCES data
Other / mixed grade configuration · Albuquerque, NM
Cottonwood Classical Prep
Federal NCES profile for Cottonwood Classical Prep, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 41/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 350006001031Charter school
👥 S:T ratio 40
🌟 Gifted program 30
📋 Attendance 53
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottonwood Classical Prep earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico median.
- #31 of 102
- schools in Albuquerque · Resource Index
- 41
- Resource Index · Typical
- 14.9:1
- students per teacher
- 6.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottonwood Classical Prep has class sizes near the New Mexico median. Computed live against every New Mexico school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Classical Prep ranks #31 of 102 schools in Albuquerque, NM.
School address
District: Albuquerque Public Schools · New Mexico
NCES ID 350006001031 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
51.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
14.9:1
vs 14:1 New Mexico avg
+6% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
6.5%
vs 80.8% New Mexico avg
-92% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cottonwood Classical Prep compares with New Mexico and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cottonwood Classical Prep
Cottonwood Classical Prep is a lower-poverty, large charter combined-grade school in Albuquerque, New Mexico, enrolling 759 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 14.9:1 puts it in the larger third of New Mexico schools by student-teacher ratio.
Comparatively few students face economic hardship here, 6.5% free-meal eligibility runs 92% below the New Mexico average.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in New Mexico, bigger than 92% of state schools at 759 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the upper third of 867 scored New Mexico schools.
Against 22 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #8.
Attendance runs somewhat below the norm, with 19.0% of students chronically absent per the 2021-22 civil-rights collection.
The surrounding Albuquerque Public Schools spends $12,964 per pupil, 22% below the New Mexico average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Albuquerque Public Schools also operates Volcano Vista High (2,089 students) and Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs (1,930 students) alongside Cottonwood Classical Prep.
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 Classical Prep compares
Cottonwood Classical Prep on the metrics families compare, against New Mexico and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs New Mexico | New Mexico avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 14.9:1 | ▲ 6% | 14:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 6.5% | ▼ 92% | 80.8% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 759 | top 8% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
14.9:1
Leaner classes than 48% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
759
Bigger than 84% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
6.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 92% below the New Mexico average of 80.8%
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
14.9:1
students per teacher
- 6% above state mean
Top 67% in New Mexico - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
19.0%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
In the 15-20% range, nearing the "high" absenteeism threshold.
Funding equity
$12,964
per pupil, district-wide
- below New Mexico avg of $16,652
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
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.
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Albuquerque Public Schools, which includes Cottonwood Classical Prep.
$12,964
Per student
-22%
vs New Mexico
Avg $16,652
-22%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 17.5%
State 68.0%
Federal 14.5%
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 Classical Prep Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Volcano Vista High | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| La Cueva High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Sandia High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Eldorado High | Larger | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cottonwood Classical Prep's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,089
- Students per teacher
- 16.7:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 1,930
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 60/100
- Enrollment
- 1,826
- Students per teacher
- 19.2:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 1,618
- Students per teacher
- 16.2:1
- Resource Index
- 41/100
- Enrollment
- 1,579
- Students per teacher
- 15.9:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
Similar other schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of New Mexico, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~759 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cottonwood Classical Prep's federal record.
- Compare Cottonwood Classical Prep against another school. Compare schools
- Albuquerque Public 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 Cottonwood Classical Prep
How many students attend Cottonwood Classical Prep?
Cottonwood Classical Prep has 759 students enrolled. It is a public school in Albuquerque, NM.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Classical Prep?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Classical Prep is 14.9:1, which is 6% higher than the New Mexico average of 14:1 and 5% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottonwood Classical Prep?
6.5% of students at Cottonwood Classical Prep are eligible for free lunch, compared to the New Mexico average of 80.8%.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottonwood Classical Prep?
Cottonwood Classical Prep has a Resource Investment Index of 41/100 (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 Classical Prep rank among schools in Albuquerque?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Classical Prep ranks #31 of 102 schools in Albuquerque, NM. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Albuquerque on the city page.
Is Cottonwood Classical Prep a good school?
Cottonwood Classical Prep earns 41/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the New Mexico 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 Albuquerque Public Schools?
Besides Cottonwood Classical Prep, Albuquerque Public Schools also operates Volcano Vista High (2,089 students), Atrisco Heritage Academy Hs (1,930 students), and La Cueva High (1,826 students). See the Albuquerque Public 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.