- Enrollment
- 2,405
- Students per teacher
- 24.3:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Hesperia, CA
Cottonwood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cottonwood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 9/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060001409081
👥 S:T ratio 6
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottonwood Elementary earns 9/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #11 of 16
- elementary schools in Hesperia · Resource Index
- 9
- Resource Index · Lower
- 23.5:1
- students per teacher
- 55.7%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottonwood Elementary has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Elementary ranks #11 of 16 elementary schools in Hesperia, CA.
School address
District: Hesperia Unified · California
NCES ID 060001409081 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-2 students YoY
Cottonwood Elementary held near 889 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 37.0 → 38.0 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-2 students YoY 060001409081 · Hesperia, CA Elementary · MID · TRAD
868 enr · 23.5:1 · 55.7% lunch · RII 9
Nearest enrollment peer: Hesperia High (2,405 students)
Cottonwood Elementary held near 889 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-2 headcount). Teacher FTE added 37.0 → 38.0 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · California schools → · Find another →
Cottonwood Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Hesperia High
Hesperia High
2,405 students
- Oak Hills High
Oak Hills High
2,370 students
- Sultana High
Sultana High
2,098 students
- Hesperia Junio
Hesperia Junior High
1,228 students
- Ranchero Middl
Ranchero Middle
1,140 students
- This school 868
Cottonwood Elementary
868 students
What this shows Cottonwood Elementary reports 868 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cottonwood Elementary compares
Cottonwood Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 23.5:1 | ▲ 9% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 55.7% | ▲ 0% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 868 | top 15% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
23.5:1
Leaner classes than 7% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
868
Bigger than 88% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
55.7%
free-lunch eligible
- 0% above the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
23.5:1
students per teacher
- 9% above state mean
Top 67% in California - lower ratio than 33% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
53.2%
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
$15,560
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $18,665
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 868 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 37 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 4.3 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 82.7%
White 8.5%
African American 5.9%
Two or More 1.4%
Asian 1.3%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 82.7% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 30.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 30.5, Cottonwood Elementary is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
District finance for Hesperia Unified reports $15,560 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cottonwood Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hesperia High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Oak Hills High | Larger | Lower economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sultana High | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Hesperia Junior High | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Ranchero Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cottonwood Elementary's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 2,370
- Students per teacher
- 22.6:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
- Enrollment
- 2,098
- Students per teacher
- 23.6:1
- Resource Index
- 18/100
- Enrollment
- 1,228
- Students per teacher
- 25.1:1
- Resource Index
- 12/100
- Enrollment
- 1,140
- Students per teacher
- 22.4:1
- Resource Index
- 16/100
Similar elementary schools in Hesperia
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Mission Crest Elementary
Standard public school
989 students 28.3:1 students per teacher
Maple Elementary
Standard public school
988 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Krystal School of Science Math & Technology
Standard public school
912 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Lime Street Elementary
Standard public school
887 students 25.3:1 students per teacher
Mesquite Trails Elementary
Standard public school
882 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Kingston Elementary
Standard public school
808 students 26.1:1 students per teacher
Nationwide elementary 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 (~868 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cottonwood Elementary
How many students attend Cottonwood Elementary?
Cottonwood Elementary has 868 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Hesperia, CA. CCD year-over-year: 891 (2022-23) → 889 (2023-24), nearly flat (-2).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary is 23.5:1, which is 9% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 50% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottonwood Elementary?
55.7% of students at Cottonwood Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottonwood Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cottonwood Elementary is Hispanic or Latino at 82.7% of enrollment, in Hesperia, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottonwood Elementary?
Cottonwood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 9/100 (lower reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Cottonwood Elementary rank among elementary schools in Hesperia?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Elementary ranks #11 of 16 elementary schools in Hesperia, 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 Hesperia on the city page.
What other schools are in Hesperia Unified?
Besides Cottonwood Elementary, Hesperia Unified also operates Hesperia High (2,405 students), Oak Hills High (2,370 students), and Sultana High (2,098 students). See the Hesperia Unified district page for the complete list.