Enrollment
498
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cottonwood, CA
North Cottonwood
Federal NCES profile for North Cottonwood, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 23/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060999011802
👥 S:T ratio 13
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 50
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
North Cottonwood earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California median.
- #4 of 7
- elementary schools in Cottonwood · Resource Index
- 23
- Resource Index · Lower
- 21.7:1
- students per teacher
- 42.3%
- free-lunch eligible
North Cottonwood has class sizes near the California median. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, North Cottonwood ranks #4 of 7 elementary schools in Cottonwood, CA.
School address
District: Cottonwood Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 060999011802 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
21.7:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
+1% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
42.3%
vs 55.5% California avg
-24% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How North Cottonwood compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at North Cottonwood
North Cottonwood is a mid-sized elementary school in Cottonwood, California, enrolling 498 students.
At 21.7:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the California median, within a few percentage points of the 21.5:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 42.3% of students eligible for free meals.
With 498 students, its enrollment sits close to the California median campus size.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 9,998 scored California schools.
Against 1,370 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #937.
Its student body is led by White (72%) and Hispanic or Latino (19%) (diversity index 44/100).
Counselor coverage is strong, about 249 students per counselor, inside the American School Counselor Association's recommended 250:1.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 40.6% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 16.2% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Among Cottonwood's elementary schools, it stands alongside Evergreen Elementary (541 students): North Cottonwood is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (21.7:1 vs 22.5:1).
Its district, Cottonwood Union Elementary, also runs West Cottonwood Junior High (419 students).
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 North Cottonwood compares
North Cottonwood on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 21.7:1 | ▲ 1% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 42.3% | ▼ 24% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 498 | top 46% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
21.7:1
Leaner classes than 11% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
498
Bigger than 61% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
42.3%
free-lunch eligible
- 24% 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
21.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% above state mean
Top 50% in California - lower ratio than 50% of state schools
Above 20:1, running heavier than the typical U.S. public school; staffing is comparatively stretched.
Engagement
40.6%
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
$13,816
per pupil, district-wide
- below California avg of $16,509
Somewhat below the U.S. average per-pupil spend; funding constraints may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors2.0 FTE
Per 249 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
0
in-school suspensions + 0 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.0 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 0.0 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 72.3%
Hispanic or Latino 18.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.8%
Asian 1.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.8%
African American 0.6%
Two or More 0.6%
Largest group: White at 72.3% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 43.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 43.9, North Cottonwood is less mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cottonwood Union Elementary, which includes North Cottonwood.
$13,816
Per student
-16%
vs California
Avg $16,509
-17%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 22.5%
State 61.3%
Federal 16.2%
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 North Cottonwood Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Cottonwood Junior High | Similar size | Similar economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to North Cottonwood's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 419
- Students per teacher
- 18.2:1
- Resource Index
- 24/100
Similar elementary schools in Cottonwood
6 comparable elementary schools (grades K-5) serving the same city.
Evergreen Elementary
Standard public school
541 students 22.5:1 students per teacher
West Cottonwood Junior High
Standard public school
419 students 18.2:1 students per teacher
Evergreen Middle
Standard public school
399 students 19.9:1 students per teacher
Cottonwood Creek Charter
Standard public school
294 students 26.7:1 students per teacher
Evergreen Community Day School (5-8)
Alternative education program
3 students
Evergreen Community Day School (K-5)
Alternative education program
2 students
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 (~498 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~21.7:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on North Cottonwood's federal record.
- Compare North Cottonwood against another school. Compare schools
- Cottonwood 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 North Cottonwood
How many students attend North Cottonwood?
North Cottonwood has 498 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cottonwood, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at North Cottonwood?
The student-teacher ratio at North Cottonwood is 21.7:1, which is 1% higher than the California average of 21.5:1 and 38% higher than the national average of 15.7:1.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at North Cottonwood?
42.3% of students at North Cottonwood are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of North Cottonwood?
The largest demographic group at North Cottonwood is White at 72.3% of enrollment, in Cottonwood, CA.
What is the Resource Investment Index for North Cottonwood?
North Cottonwood has a Resource Investment Index of 23/100 (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 North Cottonwood rank among elementary schools in Cottonwood?
By Resource Investment Index, North Cottonwood ranks #4 of 7 elementary schools in Cottonwood, 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 Cottonwood on the city page.
Is North Cottonwood a good school?
North Cottonwood earns 23/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the California 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 Cottonwood Union Elementary?
Besides North Cottonwood, Cottonwood Union Elementary also operates West Cottonwood Junior High (419 students). See the Cottonwood 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.