Enrollment
419
California · 2024-25 NCES data
Elementary school (grades K-5) · Cottonwood, CA
West Cottonwood Junior High
Federal NCES profile for West Cottonwood Junior High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 24/100.
2024-25 NCES dataElementary school (grades K-5)NCES 060999001086
👥 S:T ratio 27
🌟 Gifted program 30
🎓 Counselors 16
📋 Attendance 21
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
West Cottonwood Junior High earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools.
- #3 of 7
- elementary schools in Cottonwood · Resource Index
- 24
- Resource Index · Lower
- 18.2:1
- small classes for California
- 44.8%
- free-lunch eligible
West Cottonwood Junior High has class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools. Computed live against every California school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, West Cottonwood Junior High ranks #3 of 7 elementary schools in Cottonwood, CA.
School address
District: Cottonwood Union Elementary · California
NCES ID 060999001086 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
23.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
18.2:1
vs 21.5:1 California avg
-15% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
44.8%
vs 55.5% California avg
-19% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How West Cottonwood Junior High compares with California and U.S. medians
What stands out at West Cottonwood Junior High
West Cottonwood Junior High is a mid-sized elementary school in Cottonwood, California, enrolling 419 students.
Class sizes run a bit leaner than typical: 18.2:1 puts it in the smaller third of California schools by student-teacher ratio.
Economic need runs somewhat below the state's typical profile, with 44.8% of students eligible for free meals.
With 419 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 1,269 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #796.
Its student body is led by White (65%) and Hispanic or Latino (21%) (diversity index 53/100).
Counselor access is stretched at roughly 419 students per counselor, well above the ASCA-recommended 250:1 ceiling.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 31.5% 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): West Cottonwood Junior High is smaller than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (18.2:1 vs 22.5:1).
Its district, Cottonwood Union Elementary, also runs North Cottonwood (498 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 West Cottonwood Junior High compares
West Cottonwood Junior High on the metrics families compare, against California and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs California | California avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 18.2:1 | ▼ 15% | 21.5:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 44.8% | ▼ 19% | 55.5% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 419 | top 58% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
18.2:1
Leaner classes than 23% of US schools, heavier class loads than most.
419
Bigger than 50% of US schools by enrollment, mid-sized for the country.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
44.8%
free-lunch eligible
- 19% 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
18.2:1
students per teacher
- 15% below state mean
Top 22% in California - lower ratio than 78% of state schools
Between 16:1 and 20:1, squarely in the typical U.S. public-school staffing range.
Engagement
31.5%
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
$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
Counselors1.0 FTE
Per 419 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
1
in-school suspensions + 34 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 0.2 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 8.4 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 65.2%
Hispanic or Latino 20.5%
Two or More 6.9%
American Indian / Alaska Native 5.7%
Asian 1.2%
African American 0.5%
Largest group: White at 65.2% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 52.5/100
Simpson diversity index - at 52.5, West Cottonwood Junior High is more mixed than the California school average of 46.0.
Programs
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Cottonwood Union Elementary, which includes West Cottonwood Junior High.
$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 West Cottonwood Junior High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| North Cottonwood | Similar size | Similar economic need | Higher S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to West Cottonwood Junior High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 498
- Students per teacher
- 21.7:1
- Resource Index
- 23/100
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
North Cottonwood
Standard public school
498 students 21.7:1 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 (~419 students)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on West Cottonwood Junior High's federal record.
- Compare West Cottonwood Junior High 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 West Cottonwood Junior High
How many students attend West Cottonwood Junior High?
West Cottonwood Junior High has 419 students enrolled. It is an elementary school in Cottonwood, CA.
What is the student-teacher ratio at West Cottonwood Junior High?
The student-teacher ratio at West Cottonwood Junior High is 18.2:1, which is 15% lower than the California average of 21.5:1 and 16% higher 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 West Cottonwood Junior High?
44.8% of students at West Cottonwood Junior High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the California average of 55.5%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of West Cottonwood Junior High?
The largest demographic group at West Cottonwood Junior High is White at 65.2% of enrollment, in Cottonwood, CA. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 52.5/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for West Cottonwood Junior High?
West Cottonwood Junior High has a Resource Investment Index of 24/100 (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 West Cottonwood Junior High rank among elementary schools in Cottonwood?
By Resource Investment Index, West Cottonwood Junior High ranks #3 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 West Cottonwood Junior High a good school?
West Cottonwood Junior High earns 24/100 on the Resource Investment Index, even as it posts class sizes smaller than 78% of California schools. 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 West Cottonwood Junior High, Cottonwood Union Elementary also operates North Cottonwood (498 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.