Enrollment
652
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Palmdale, CA
Cottonwood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cottonwood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 26/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 064212010141
👥 S:T ratio 0
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 35
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottonwood Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of California schools.
- #22 of 31
- elementary schools in Palmdale · Resource Index
- 26
- Resource Index · Lower
- 31:1
- large classes for California
- 46.8%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottonwood Elementary has class sizes larger than 97% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Elementary ranks #22 of 31 elementary schools in Palmdale, CA.
School address
District: Westside Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 064212010141 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
21.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
31:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+44% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
46.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-16% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cottonwood Elementary compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cottonwood Elementary
Cottonwood Elementary is a mid-sized elementary school in Palmdale, California, enrolling 652 students.
Class loads run heavy: 31:1 is larger than about 97% of California schools and 44% above the 21.5:1 state mean, so each teacher carries more students than is typical.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 46.8% of students eligible for free meals.
Enrollment of 652 puts it in the larger third of California schools by headcount.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,368 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #715.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (58%) and White (16%) (diversity index 61/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 724 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 25.9% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Westside Union Elementary spends $12,392 per pupil, 25% below the California average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Among Palmdale's elementary schools, it stands alongside Los Amigos - Dual Immersion (1,027 students): Cottonwood Elementary is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs heavier classes (31:1 vs 28.5:1).
Westside Union Elementary also operates Hillview Middle (1,100 students) and Esperanza Elementary (962 students) alongside Cottonwood 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 Elementary compares
Cottonwood 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 | 31:1 | ▲ 44% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 46.8% | ▼ 16% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 652 | top 27% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
31:1
Leaner classes than 2% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
652
Bigger than 77% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
46.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 16% below the California average of 55.5%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
31:1
students per teacher
- 44% above state mean
Top 97% in California - lower ratio than 3% of state schools
Well above 20:1, one of the more stretched staffing loads nationally relative to enrollment.
Engagement
25.9%
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
$12,392
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors0.9 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 14 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.1 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 58.4%
White 16.1%
African American 11.0%
Two or More 8.9%
Asian 5.4%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 58.4% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 61.0/100
Simpson diversity index - at 61.0, Cottonwood Elementary is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Westside Union Elementary, which includes Cottonwood Elementary.
$12,392
Per student
-25%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-25%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 27.4%
State 65.5%
Federal 7.1%
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 Elementary Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillview Middle | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Esperanza Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Sundown Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Gregg Anderson Academy | Larger | Lower economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Rancho Vista Elementary | Larger | Similar economic need | Lower 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
- 1,100
- Students per teacher
- 27.5:1
- Resource Index
- 26/100
- Enrollment
- 962
- Students per teacher
- 26.7:1
- Resource Index
- 7/100
- Enrollment
- 941
- Students per teacher
- 29.4:1
- Resource Index
- 10/100
- Enrollment
- 893
- Students per teacher
- 27.9:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 886
- Students per teacher
- 26.8:1
- Resource Index
- 17/100
Similar elementary schools in Palmdale
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Los Amigos - Dual Immersion
Alternative education program
1,027 students 28.5:1 students per teacher
Esperanza Elementary
Standard public school
962 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Dos Caminos Dual Immersion
Alternative education program
945 students 27:1 students per teacher
Gregg Anderson Academy
Standard public school
893 students 27.9:1 students per teacher
Rancho Vista Elementary
Standard public school
886 students 26.8:1 students per teacher
Palmdale Learning Plaza
Standard public school
800 students 22.9:1 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 (~652 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~31:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cottonwood Elementary's federal record.
- Compare Cottonwood Elementary against another school. Compare schools
- Westside Union Elementary'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 Elementary
How many students attend Cottonwood Elementary?
Cottonwood Elementary has 652 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Palmdale, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary is 31:1, which is 44% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 97% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottonwood Elementary?
46.8% 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 58.4% of enrollment, in Palmdale, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 61.0/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottonwood Elementary?
Cottonwood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 26/100 (lower 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 Elementary rank among elementary schools in Palmdale?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Elementary ranks #22 of 31 elementary schools in Palmdale, 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 Palmdale on the city page.
Is Cottonwood Elementary a good school?
Cottonwood Elementary earns 26/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes larger than 97% of California 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 Westside Union Elementary?
Besides Cottonwood Elementary, Westside Union Elementary also operates Hillview Middle (1,100 students), Esperanza Elementary (962 students), and Sundown Elementary (941 students). See the Westside Union Elementary 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.