- Enrollment
- 2,780
- Students per teacher
- -
- Resource Index
- 35/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Wasilla, AK
Cottonwood Creek Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cottonwood Creek Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 36/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 020051000514
👥 S:T ratio 38
🌟 Gifted program 70
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottonwood Creek Elementary earns 36/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Alaska median.
- #6 of 18
- schools in Wasilla · Resource Index
- 36
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.6:1
- students per teacher
- 35.9%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottonwood Creek Elementary has class sizes near the Alaska median. Computed live against every Alaska school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Creek Elementary ranks #6 of 18 schools in Wasilla, AK.
School address
District: Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District · Alaska
NCES ID 020051000514 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-40 students YoY
Cottonwood Creek Elementary shrank from 468 students in 2022-23 to 428 in 2023-24 (-8.5%).
Teacher FTE held 27.0 → 27.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-40 students YoY 020051000514 · Wasilla, AK Other · SMALL · TRAD
422 enr · 15.6:1 · 35.9% lunch · RII 36
Nearest enrollment peer: Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students)
Cottonwood Creek Elementary shrank from 468 students in 2022-23 to 428 in 2023-24 (-8.5%). Teacher FTE held 27.0 → 27.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Alaska schools → · Find another →
Cottonwood Creek Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Mat-Su Central
Mat-Su Central School
2,780 students
- Colony High Sc 1,046
Colony High School
1,046 students
- Wasilla High S 816
Wasilla High School
816 students
- Colony Middle 771
Colony Middle School
771 students
- Mat-Su Career 705
Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School
705 students
- This school 422
Cottonwood Creek Elementary
422 students
What this shows Cottonwood Creek Elementary reports 422 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cottonwood Creek Elementary compares
Cottonwood Creek Elementary is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Alaska and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Alaska | Alaska avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.6:1 | ▲ 3% | 15.2:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 35.9% | ▼ 42% | 61.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 422 | top 13% | - | - |
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.
422
Bigger than 51% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
35.9%
free-lunch eligible
- 42% below the Alaska average of 61.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
15.6:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 62% in Alaska - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
43.8%
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
$15,575
per pupil, district-wide
- below Alaska avg of $33,705
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 + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 67.8%
Two or More 19.0%
Hispanic or Latino 8.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 4.0%
Asian 0.7%
African American 0.2%
Largest group: White at 67.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 49.6/100
Simpson diversity index - at 49.6, Cottonwood Creek Elementary is more mixed than the Alaska school average of 43.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District reports $15,575 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cottonwood Creek Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mat-Su Central School | Larger | No free-lunch data | No ratio data |
| Colony High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Wasilla High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Colony Middle School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mat-Su Career & Tech Ed High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cottonwood Creek Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,046
- Students per teacher
- 19:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
- Enrollment
- 816
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 36/100
- Enrollment
- 771
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 27/100
- Enrollment
- 705
- Students per teacher
- 16.8:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Similar other schools in Wasilla
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Mat-Su Central School
Standard public school
2,780 students
Twindly Bridge Charter School
Standard public school
601 students
John Shaw Elementary
Standard public school
507 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Joe Redington Senior Jr/Sr High School
Standard public school
497 students 16:1 students per teacher
Fred and Sara Machetanz Elementary School
Standard public school
468 students 18:1 students per teacher
Finger Lake Elementary
Standard public school
445 students 17.8:1 students per teacher
Nationwide other schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~422 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cottonwood Creek Elementary
How many students attend Cottonwood Creek Elementary?
Cottonwood Creek Elementary has 422 students enrolled. It is a public school in Wasilla, AK. CCD year-over-year: 468 (2022-23) → 428 (2023-24), down 40.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Creek Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Creek Elementary is 15.6:1, which is 3% higher than the Alaska average of 15.2:1 and 1% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottonwood Creek Elementary?
35.9% of students at Cottonwood Creek Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Alaska average of 61.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottonwood Creek Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cottonwood Creek Elementary is White at 67.8% of enrollment, in Wasilla, AK.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottonwood Creek Elementary?
Cottonwood Creek Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 36/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 3 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cottonwood Creek Elementary rank among schools in Wasilla?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Creek Elementary ranks #6 of 18 schools in Wasilla, AK. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Wasilla on the city page.
What other schools are in Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District?
Besides Cottonwood Creek Elementary, Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District also operates Mat-Su Central School (2,780 students), Colony High School (1,046 students), and Wasilla High School (816 students). See the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District district page for the complete list.