- Enrollment
- 1,881
- Students per teacher
- 17.7:1
- Resource Index
- 50/100
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Tucson, AZ
Cottonwood Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cottonwood Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 29/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 040885002193
👥 S:T ratio 29
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 0
📋 Attendance 16
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottonwood Elementary School earns 29/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Arizona median.
- #38 of 54
- elementary schools in Tucson · Resource Index
- 29
- Resource Index · Lower
- 17.8:1
- students per teacher
- 23.0%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottonwood Elementary School has class sizes near the Arizona median. Computed live against every Arizona school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Elementary School ranks #38 of 54 elementary schools in Tucson, AZ.
School address
District: Vail Unified District (4413) · Arizona
NCES ID 040885002193 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
+26 students YoY
Cottonwood Elementary School grew from 505 students in 2022-23 to 531 in 2023-24 (+5.1%).
Teacher FTE added 32.9 → 34.9 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Growing CCD campus
+26 students YoY 040885002193 · Tucson, AZ Elementary · MID · TRAD
570 enr · 17.8:1 · 23.0% lunch · RII 29
Nearest enrollment peer: Cienega High School (1,881 students)
Cottonwood Elementary School grew from 505 students in 2022-23 to 531 in 2023-24 (+5.1%). Teacher FTE added 32.9 → 34.9 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Arizona schools → · Find another →
Cottonwood Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Cienega High S
Cienega High School
1,881 students
- Mica Mountain
Mica Mountain High
1,319 students
- Empire High Sc
Empire High School
886 students
- Andrada Polyte
Andrada Polytechnic High School
836 students
- Old Vail Middl
Old Vail Middle School
811 students
- This school 570
Cottonwood Elementary School
570 students
What this shows Cottonwood Elementary School reports 570 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cottonwood Elementary School compares
Cottonwood Elementary School is a growing campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Arizona and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Arizona | Arizona avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.8:1 | ▲ 5% | 17:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 23.0% | ▼ 52% | 48.3% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 570 | top 32% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.8:1
Leaner classes than 26% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
570
Bigger than 70% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
23.0%
free-lunch eligible
- 52% below the Arizona average of 48.3%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.8:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 61% in Arizona - lower ratio than 39% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
33.5%
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
$10,071
per pupil, district-wide
- below Arizona avg of $13,502
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 570 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
12
in-school suspensions + 9 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 44.9%
White 40.0%
Two or More 9.5%
African American 3.3%
Asian 1.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.2%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 44.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 62.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 62.8, Cottonwood Elementary School is more mixed than the Arizona school average of 47.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Vail Unified District (4413) reports $10,071 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cottonwood Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cienega High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Mica Mountain High | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Empire High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Andrada Polytechnic High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Old Vail Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cottonwood Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,319
- Students per teacher
- 20.9:1
- Resource Index
- 20/100
- Enrollment
- 886
- Students per teacher
- 21.1:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
- Enrollment
- 836
- Students per teacher
- 22:1
- Resource Index
- 28/100
- Enrollment
- 811
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
Similar elementary schools in Tucson
5 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Los Amigos Elementary School
Standard public school
613 students 17.5:1 students per teacher
Sonoran Science Academy East
Standard public school
467 students
Legacy Traditional School - East Tucson
Standard public school
439 students
Summit View Elementary
Standard public school
403 students 19.2:1 students per teacher
Da Vinci Tree Academy
Standard public school
265 students
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 (~570 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cottonwood Elementary School
How many students attend Cottonwood Elementary School?
Cottonwood Elementary School has 570 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Tucson, AZ. CCD year-over-year: 505 (2022-23) → 531 (2023-24), up 26.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary School is 17.8:1, which is 5% higher than the Arizona average of 17:1 and 13% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottonwood Elementary School?
23.0% of students at Cottonwood Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Arizona average of 48.3%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottonwood Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cottonwood Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 44.9% of enrollment, in Tucson, AZ. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 62.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottonwood Elementary School?
Cottonwood Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 29/100 (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 School rank among elementary schools in Tucson?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Elementary School ranks #38 of 54 elementary schools in Tucson, 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 Tucson on the city page.
What other schools are in Vail Unified District (4413)?
Besides Cottonwood Elementary School, Vail Unified District (4413) also operates Cienega High School (1,881 students), Mica Mountain High (1,319 students), and Empire High School (886 students). See the Vail Unified District (4413) district page for the complete list.