- Enrollment
- 2,002
- Students per teacher
- 15.5:1
- Resource Index
- 43/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Casper, WY
Cottonwood Elementary
Federal NCES profile for Cottonwood Elementary, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 34/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 560451000377
👥 S:T ratio 52
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 13
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottonwood Elementary earns 34/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the Wyoming median.
- #2 of 7
- schools in Casper · Resource Index
- 34
- Resource Index · Typical
- 12:1
- students per teacher
- 51.4%
- free-lunch eligible
Cottonwood Elementary has class sizes near the Wyoming median. Computed live against every Wyoming school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Elementary ranks #2 of 7 schools in Casper, WY.
School address
District: Natrona County School District #1 · Wyoming
NCES ID 560451000377 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-11 students YoY
Cottonwood Elementary held near 376 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount).
Teacher FTE lost 29.0 → 27.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-11 students YoY 560451000377 · Casper, WY Other · SMALL · TRAD
347 enr · 12:1 · 51.4% lunch · RII 34
Nearest enrollment peer: Kelly Walsh High School (2,002 students)
Cottonwood Elementary held near 376 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-11 headcount). Teacher FTE lost 29.0 → 27.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Wyoming schools → · Find another →
Cottonwood Elementary in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Kelly Walsh Hi
Kelly Walsh High School
2,002 students
- Natrona County
Natrona County High School
1,703 students
- C Y Middle Sch 766
C Y Middle School
766 students
- Centennial Mid 755
Centennial Middle School
755 students
- Dean Morgan Mi 613
Dean Morgan Middle School
613 students
- This school 347
Cottonwood Elementary
347 students
What this shows Cottonwood Elementary reports 347 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cottonwood Elementary compares
Cottonwood Elementary held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs Wyoming and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Wyoming | Wyoming avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 12:1 | ▲ 5% | 11.4:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 51.4% | ▲ 88% | 27.4% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 347 | top 20% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
12:1
Leaner classes than 75% of US schools, among the more generously staffed nationally.
347
Bigger than 39% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
51.4%
free-lunch eligible
- 88% above the Wyoming average of 27.4%
Well above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold, among the highest-need profiles in the state; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
12:1
students per teacher
- 5% above state mean
Top 62% in Wyoming - lower ratio than 38% of state schools
Well under the widely cited 15:1 individualized-attention benchmark, among the leaner class loads nationally.
Engagement
42.4%
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
$16,870
per pupil, district-wide
- below Wyoming avg of $23,707
Close to the U.S. public-school average per-pupil spend.
Support staff
Counselors0.8 FTE
Student-support staffing from the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Discipline context
5
in-school suspensions + 22 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 1.4 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 7.8 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
White 74.9%
Hispanic or Latino 16.1%
Two or More 6.9%
African American 1.2%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.9%
Largest group: White at 74.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 40.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 40.8, Cottonwood Elementary is more mixed than the Wyoming school average of 33.2.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Natrona County School District #1 reports $16,870 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelly Walsh High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Natrona County High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| C Y Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Centennial Middle School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Dean Morgan Middle School | 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
- 1,703
- Students per teacher
- 14.6:1
- Resource Index
- 48/100
- Enrollment
- 766
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 30/100
- Enrollment
- 755
- Students per teacher
- 14:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
- Enrollment
- 613
- Students per teacher
- 11.8:1
- Resource Index
- 40/100
Similar other schools in Casper
6 comparable other schools (grades Mixed) serving the same city.
Casper Classical Academy
Standard public school
516 students 16.6:1 students per teacher
Lincoln Elementary School
Standard public school
433 students 14.4:1 students per teacher
Journey Elementary
Standard public school
348 students 13.9:1 students per teacher
Sagewood Elementary
Standard public school
340 students 16.2:1 students per teacher
Pineview Elementary
Standard public school
258 students 9.9:1 students per teacher
Bar Nunn Elementary
Standard public school
227 students 9.5:1 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 (~347 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cottonwood Elementary
How many students attend Cottonwood Elementary?
Cottonwood Elementary has 347 students enrolled. It is a public school in Casper, WY. CCD year-over-year: 387 (2022-23) → 376 (2023-24), nearly flat (-11).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary is 12:1, which is 5% higher than the Wyoming average of 11.4:1 and 24% lower than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottonwood Elementary?
51.4% of students at Cottonwood Elementary are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Wyoming average of 27.4%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottonwood Elementary?
The largest demographic group at Cottonwood Elementary is White at 74.9% of enrollment, in Casper, WY.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottonwood Elementary?
Cottonwood Elementary has a Resource Investment Index of 34/100 (typical 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 schools in Casper?
By Resource Investment Index, Cottonwood Elementary ranks #2 of 7 schools in Casper, WY. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all schools in Casper on the city page.
What other schools are in Natrona County School District #1?
Besides Cottonwood Elementary, Natrona County School District #1 also operates Kelly Walsh High School (2,002 students), Natrona County High School (1,703 students), and C Y Middle School (766 students). See the Natrona County School District #1 district page for the complete list.