Enrollment
394
Colorado · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Montrose, CO
Cottonwood Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cottonwood Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 32/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 080579001554
👥 S:T ratio 32
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 26
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottonwood Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median.
- #4 of 4
- elementary schools in Montrose · Resource Index
- 32
- Resource Index · Typical
- 17.1:1
- students per teacher
- 29.5%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottonwood Elementary School has class sizes near the Colorado median. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Montrose, CO.
School address
District: Montrose County School District Re-1j · Colorado
NCES ID 080579001554 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
17.1:1
vs 16.6:1 Colorado avg
+3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
29.5%
vs 38.5% Colorado avg
-23% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Cottonwood Elementary School compares with Colorado and U.S. medians
What stands out at Cottonwood Elementary School
Cottonwood Elementary School is a mid-sized elementary school in Montrose, Colorado, enrolling 394 students.
Class loads run somewhat heavier than typical: 17.1:1 puts it in the larger third of Colorado schools by student-teacher ratio.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 29.5% lands close to the Colorado typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
With 394 students, its enrollment sits close to the Colorado median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 1,922 scored Colorado schools.
Among 367 similarly sized, similarly resourced-need Colorado schools statewide, it ranks #327, in the lower tier once campus size and economic need are matched.
Its student body is led by White (71%) and Hispanic or Latino (24%) (diversity index 43/100).
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 372 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 49.5% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
The surrounding Montrose County School District Re-1j spends $10,606 per pupil, 35% below the Colorado average, a leaner-resourced district than most.
Its district draws 17.9% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Montrose County School District Re-1j also operates Montrose High School (1,279 students) and Centennial Middle School (540 students) alongside Cottonwood Elementary 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 Elementary School compares
Cottonwood Elementary School on the metrics families compare, against Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 17.1:1 | ▲ 3% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 29.5% | ▼ 23% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 394 | top 44% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
17.1:1
Leaner classes than 30% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
394
Bigger than 46% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
29.5%
free-lunch eligible
- 23% below the Colorado average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
17.1:1
students per teacher
- 3% above state mean
Top 64% in Colorado - lower ratio than 36% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
49.5%
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
$10,606
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $16,273
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.1 FTE
Per 372 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
4
in-school suspensions + 11 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 3.8 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
White 71.3%
Hispanic or Latino 24.4%
Two or More 3.6%
African American 0.5%
Asian 0.3%
Largest group: White at 71.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.1/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.1, Cottonwood Elementary School is less mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Montrose County School District Re-1j, which includes Cottonwood Elementary School.
$10,606
Per student
-35%
vs Colorado
Avg $16,273
-36%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 28.8%
State 53.3%
Federal 17.9%
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 School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Montrose High School | Larger | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial Middle School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Johnson Elementary School | Larger | Higher economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Olathe Middle/High School | Larger | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
| Columbine Middle School | Similar size | Higher economic need | Similar 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
- 1,279
- Students per teacher
- 20.3:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 540
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
- Enrollment
- 531
- Students per teacher
- 20.4:1
- Resource Index
- 22/100
- Enrollment
- 499
- Students per teacher
- 15.6:1
- Resource Index
- 35/100
- Enrollment
- 491
- Students per teacher
- 16.9:1
- Resource Index
- 39/100
Similar elementary schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of Colorado, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~394 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Cottonwood Elementary School's federal record.
- Compare Cottonwood Elementary School against another school. Compare schools
- Montrose County School District Re-1j'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 School
How many students attend Cottonwood Elementary School?
Cottonwood Elementary School has 394 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Montrose, CO.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary School is 17.1:1, which is 3% higher than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 9% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottonwood Elementary School?
29.5% of students at Cottonwood Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottonwood Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cottonwood Elementary School is White at 71.3% of enrollment, in Montrose, CO.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottonwood Elementary School?
Cottonwood Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 32/100 (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 Elementary School rank among elementary schools in Montrose?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Elementary School ranks #4 of 4 elementary schools in Montrose, CO. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all elementary schools in Montrose on the city page.
Is Cottonwood Elementary School a good school?
Cottonwood Elementary School earns 32/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Colorado median. 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 Montrose County School District Re-1j?
Besides Cottonwood Elementary School, Montrose County School District Re-1j also operates Montrose High School (1,279 students), Centennial Middle School (540 students), and Johnson Elementary School (531 students). See the Montrose County School District Re-1j 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.