Enrollment
430
Arizona · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cottonwood, AZ
Cottonwood Community School
Federal NCES profile for Cottonwood Community School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040237003619
👥 S:T ratio 54
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 14
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottonwood Community School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Arizona schools.
- #2 of 3
- elementary schools in Cottonwood · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 11.6:1
- small classes for Arizona
- 62.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottonwood Community School has class sizes smaller than 87% of Arizona schools. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Community School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Cottonwood, AZ.
School address
NCES ID 040237003619 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
37.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
11.6:1
vs 17:1 Arizona avg
-32% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
62.0%
vs 48.3% Arizona avg
+28% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cottonwood Community School compares with Arizona and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cottonwood Community School
Cottonwood Community School is a higher-need, mid-sized elementary school in Cottonwood, Arizona, enrolling 430 students.
Classes run notably small here: at 11.6:1, Cottonwood Community School is leaner than roughly 87% of Arizona schools and 32% under the state's 17:1 norm, more adult attention per pupil than most peers.
Economic need runs somewhat above the state's typical profile, with 62.0% of students eligible for free meals.
With 430 students, its enrollment sits close to the Arizona median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index sits near the middle of the pack among 2,064 scored Arizona schools.
Against 310 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks in the upper tier at #125.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (60%) and White (34%) (diversity index 52/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 430 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 61.4% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) spends $10,435 per pupil, 21% below the Arizona average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 33.8% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) also operates Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School (585 students) and Mountain View Preparatory School (426 students) alongside Cottonwood Community 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 Cottonwood Community School compares
Cottonwood Community School on the metrics families compare, against Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 11.6:1 | ▼ 32% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 62.0% | ▲ 28% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 430 | top 47% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
11.6:1
Leaner classes than 79% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
430
Bigger than 52% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
62.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 28% above the Arizona average of 48.3%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
11.6:1
students per teacher
- 32% below state mean
Top 13% in Arizona - lower ratio than 87% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
61.4%
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
$10,435
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,145
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 430 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
39
in-school suspensions + 19 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 9.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 13.5 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 60.0%
White 34.2%
Two or More 2.8%
African American 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 1.2%
Asian 0.7%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 60.0% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.2, Cottonwood Community School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487), which includes Cottonwood Community School.
$10,435
Per student
-21%
vs Arizona
Avg $13,145
-37%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 31.3%
State 35.0%
Federal 33.8%
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 Community School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View Preparatory School | Similar size | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Oak Creek Elementary School | Smaller | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Cottonwood Education Services | Smaller | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cottonwood Community School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 585
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 426
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 238
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 86
- Students per teacher
- 7.2:1
- Resource Index
- 51/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Arizona, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~430 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cottonwood Community School's federal record.
- Compare Cottonwood Community School against another school. Compare schools
- Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)'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 Community School
How many students attend Cottonwood Community School?
Cottonwood Community School has 430 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cottonwood, AZ.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Community School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Community School is 11.6:1, which is 32% lower than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 26% 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 Cottonwood Community School?
62.0% of students at Cottonwood Community School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottonwood Community School?
The largest demographic group at Cottonwood Community School is Hispanic or Latino at 60.0% of enrollment, in Cottonwood, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottonwood Community School?
Cottonwood Community School has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (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 Cottonwood Community School rank among elementary schools in Cottonwood?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Community School ranks #2 of 3 elementary schools in Cottonwood, AZ. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Cottonwood on the city page.
Is Cottonwood Community School a good school?
Cottonwood Community School earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 87% of Arizona 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 Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)?
Besides Cottonwood Community School, Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) also operates Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School (585 students), Mountain View Preparatory School (426 students), and Oak Creek Elementary School (238 students). See the Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) district page for the complete list.
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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.