- Enrollment
- 1,354
- Students per teacher
- 18.5:1
- Resource Index
- 38/100
Other / mixed grade configuration · Ft Collins, CO
Cottonwood Plains Elementary School
Federal NCES profile for Cottonwood Plains Elementary School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 38/100.
2024-25 NCES dataOther / mixed grade configurationNCES 080540000607
👥 S:T ratio 47
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 34
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Cottonwood Plains Elementary School earns 38/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes smaller than 75% of Colorado schools.
- 38
- Resource Index · Typical
- 13.2:1
- small classes for Colorado
- 39.1%
- free-lunch eligible
- 330
- students enrolled
Cottonwood Plains Elementary School has class sizes smaller than 75% of Colorado schools. Computed live against every Colorado school reporting to NCES.
School address
District: Thompson School District R-2j · Colorado
NCES ID 080540000607 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-41 students YoY
Cottonwood Plains Elementary School shrank from 386 students in 2022-23 to 345 in 2023-24 (-10.6%).
Teacher FTE lost 25.6 → 25.3 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Shrinking CCD campus
-41 students YoY 080540000607 · Ft Collins, CO Other · SMALL · TRAD
330 enr · 13.2:1 · 39.1% lunch · RII 38
Nearest enrollment peer: Loveland High School (1,354 students)
Cottonwood Plains Elementary School shrank from 386 students in 2022-23 to 345 in 2023-24 (-10.6%). Teacher FTE lost 25.6 → 25.3 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · Colorado schools → · Find another →
Cottonwood Plains Elementary School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Loveland High
Loveland High School
1,354 students
- Mountain View
Mountain View High School
1,074 students
- Loveland Class
Loveland Classical School
1,032 students
- Thompson Valle
Thompson Valley High School
1,005 students
- New Vision Cha
New Vision Charter School
1,005 students
- This school 330
Cottonwood Plains Elementary School
330 students
What this shows Cottonwood Plains Elementary School reports 330 students on the CCD universe file.
How Cottonwood Plains Elementary School compares
Cottonwood Plains Elementary School is a shrinking campus on CCD: ratios and free-lunch share vs Colorado and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs Colorado | Colorado avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 13.2:1 | ▼ 20% | 16.6:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 39.1% | ▲ 2% | 38.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 330 | top 55% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
13.2:1
Leaner classes than 65% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
330
Bigger than 37% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
39.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 2% above the Colorado average of 38.5%
Below the 40% Title I threshold; federal aid targets individual qualifying students rather than schoolwide programs.
Staffing depth
13.2:1
students per teacher
- 20% below state mean
Top 25% in Colorado - lower ratio than 75% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
44.5%
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
$14,678
per pupil, district-wide
- below Colorado avg of $17,910
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 330 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
7
in-school suspensions + 2 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 2.1 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 2.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 48.2%
White 44.2%
Two or More 6.4%
African American 0.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 48.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 56.8/100
Simpson diversity index - at 56.8, Cottonwood Plains Elementary School is more mixed than the Colorado school average of 47.1.
Programs
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Thompson School District R-2j reports $14,678 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Cottonwood Plains Elementary School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Loveland High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Mountain View High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Loveland Classical School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| Thompson Valley High School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
| New Vision Charter School | Larger | Lower economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Cottonwood Plains Elementary School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,074
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,032
- Students per teacher
- 19.8:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,005
- Students per teacher
- 20.1:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 1,005
- Students per teacher
- 21.4:1
- Resource Index
- 31/100
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 (~330 students)
Frequently asked questions about Cottonwood Plains Elementary School
How many students attend Cottonwood Plains Elementary School?
Cottonwood Plains Elementary School has 330 students enrolled. It is a public school in Ft Collins, CO. CCD year-over-year: 386 (2022-23) → 345 (2023-24), down 41.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Plains Elementary School?
The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Plains Elementary School is 13.2:1, which is 20% lower than the Colorado average of 16.6:1 and 16% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Cottonwood Plains Elementary School?
39.1% of students at Cottonwood Plains Elementary School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the Colorado average of 38.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Cottonwood Plains Elementary School?
The largest demographic group at Cottonwood Plains Elementary School is Hispanic or Latino at 48.2% of enrollment, in Ft Collins, CO. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 56.8/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Cottonwood Plains Elementary School?
Cottonwood Plains Elementary School has a Resource Investment Index of 38/100 (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).
What other schools are in Thompson School District R-2j?
Besides Cottonwood Plains Elementary School, Thompson School District R-2j also operates Loveland High School (1,354 students), Mountain View High School (1,074 students), and Loveland Classical School (1,032 students). See the Thompson School District R-2j district page for the complete list.