Is Cottonwood Elementary a good school?

Cottonwood Elementary ranks 1503 rd of 5862 California elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 4 stars out of 5.

How many students attend Cottonwood Elementary?

In the 2023-24 school year, 615 students attended Cottonwood Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Cottonwood Elementary?

Students at Cottonwood Elementary are 60% Hispanic, 14% White, 12% African American, 9% Two or more races, 4% Asian.

What schools do graduates of Cottonwood Elementary attend?

Students who attend Cottonwood Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Hillview Middle High : Highland High

Cottonwood Elementary

Summary:

Cottonwood Elementary is a public elementary school in Palmdale, California, serving 575 students in grades K-6. It is part of the Westside Union Elementary District, which is ranked 804 out of 1,568 districts in the state.

Cottonwood Elementary consistently outperforms the district and state in academic achievement, with proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA) and Math that are significantly higher than the district and state averages. The school's performance is particularly strong in 3rd and 5th grade ELA, where proficiency rates exceed 70%. Cottonwood also excels in supporting the academic success of specific student subgroups, such as African American and Hispanic students, who outperform their peers at the district and state levels. However, the school has seen a concerning increase in chronic absenteeism rates, which may impact its overall academic performance if not addressed.

While Cottonwood Elementary outperforms nearby Rancho Vista Elementary and Gregg Anderson Academy in both ELA and Math, the nearby Gregg Anderson Academy, which is ranked 618th out of 5,862 California elementary schools, significantly outperforms Cottonwood in academic achievement, particularly in ELA. Despite having a relatively high percentage of students from low-socioeconomic backgrounds, Cottonwood is able to support these students and help them achieve academic success.

Detail:

Public K-6

2740 West Ave. P-8
Palmdale, CA 93551-1543

(661) 267-2825

District: Westside Union Elementary

SchoolDigger Rank:
1503^rd of 5,862 California Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $9,579

Students who attend Cottonwood Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Hillview Middle
High:	Highland High

Student/teacher ratio: 27.9

Number of students: 615

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

60.2%

White:

14.5%

African American:

11.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 57.1%

See top rated California elementary schools

Compare Cottonwood Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Cottonwood Elementary ranks better than 74.4% of elementary schools in California. It also ranks 2^nd among 10 ranked elementary schools in the Westside Union Elementary School District. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 71.79. (See more...)

Chronic absenteeism in a school refers to a situation where students repeatedly miss school, with the threshold often defined as missing 10% or more of school days for any reason, excused or unexcused.

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (60.2%), White (14.5%), African American (11.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 57.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)

Compare Details (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary is 27.9, which is the highest among 10 elementary schools in the Westside Union Elementary School District! (See more...)

Compare Cottonwood Elementary employs 22 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Cottonwood Elementary is $9,579, which is the highest among 10 elementary schools in the Westside Union Elementary School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Cottonwood Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Cottonwood Elementary 1503^rd of 5862 California public elementary schools. (See Cottonwood Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Male students:

African American students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Westside Union Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Westside Union Elementary 804^th of 1568 California school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Cottonwood Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2004	55.32	1909^th	4809	60.3%
2005	58.05	1831^st	4822	62.0%
2006	50.20	2186^th	4818	54.6%
2007	44.61	2640^th	5113	48.4%
2008	44.91	2667^th	5113	47.8%
2009	42.70	2896^th	5193	44.2%
2010	37.97	3298^th	5314	37.9%
2011	61.50	1936^th	5377	64.0%
2012	59.52	2076^th	5390	61.5%
2013	52.64	2531^st	5530	54.2%
2015	41.84	2912^th	5611	48.1%
2016	40.03	3072^nd	5614	45.3%
2017	30.75	3776^th	5692	33.7%
2018	30.13	3811^th	5662	32.7%
2019	44.61	2897^th	5789	50.0%
2022	59.41	2060^th	5883	65.0%
2023	62.85	1906^th	5874	67.6%
2024	71.79	1503^rd	5862	74.4%

See the entire list of California Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	39.97	461^st	669	31.1%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2023	50.82	1153^rd	3250	64.5%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	34.81	3414^th	5084	32.8%
2019	57.37	1932^nd	5173	62.7%
2022	71.06	1123^rd	5264	78.7%
2023	70.30	1218^th	5374	77.3%
2024	73.73	1108^th	5511	79.9%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	36.50	3317^th	5413	38.7%
2019	47.60	2636^th	5492	52.0%
2022	52.92	2268^th	5635	59.8%
2023	57.47	2064^th	5617	63.3%
2024	71.58	1421^st	5605	74.6%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	28.81	1502^nd	2128	29.4%
2019	30.77	1753^rd	2585	32.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Male students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	25.67	4039^th	5431	25.6%
2019	41.41	2952^nd	5510	46.4%
2022	63.22	1814^th	5663	68.0%
2023	65.35	1716^th	5650	69.6%
2024	68.93	1564^th	5636	72.2%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2019	38.42	443^rd	747	40.7%
2024	85.48	49^th	593	91.7%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	38.02	2994^th	4830	38.0%
2019	62.31	1561^st	4963	68.5%
2022	71.98	1064^th	5084	79.1%
2023	76.58	897^th	5098	82.4%
2024	83.30	611^th	5102	88.0%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Cottonwood Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	CA State Percentile
2018	29.35	2092^nd	2737	23.6%
2019	40.25	1848^th	2834	34.8%
2022	33.80	1912^th	2726	29.9%
2023	36.70	1805^th	2662	32.2%
2024	52.17	1342^nd	2647	49.3%

See the entire list of Best California Elementary Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: California Department of Education, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: California Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Cottonwood Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1991	211	19	11	36	0	n/a	n/a	0	277
1992	325	37	33	76	4	n/a	n/a	0	475
1993	384	53	40	98	9	n/a	n/a	0	584
1994	431	80	46	143	14	n/a	n/a	0	714
1995	487	88	55	170	22	n/a	n/a	0	822
1996	487	88	55	170	22	n/a	n/a	0	822
1997	485	76	56	176	19	n/a	n/a	0	812
1998	497	93	47	166	16	n/a	n/a	0	819
1999	484	95	49	165	10	n/a	n/a	0	803
2000	400	105	56	143	10	n/a	n/a	0	714
2001	427	86	53	146	11	n/a	n/a	0	723
2002	459	104	73	179	11	n/a	n/a	0	826
2003	459	104	73	179	11	n/a	n/a	0	826
2004	322	79	26	160	6	n/a	n/a	108	701
2005	266	79	38	197	8	n/a	n/a	98	686
2006	319	114	57	300	6	n/a	n/a	28	824
2007	298	100	67	333	4	n/a	n/a	30	832
2008	256	110	61	356	5	n/a	n/a	0	788
2009	225	107	53	338	2	1	14	0	740
2010	170	112	49	318	2	1	5	0	657
2011	146	79	42	316	1	0	17	0	601
2012	135	85	34	320	1	0	24	0	599
2013	90	79	27	289	3	0	20	0	508
2014	77	62	24	287	3	0	16	0	469
2015	78	55	20	289	1	1	23	0	467
2016	87	52	16	287	1	1	26	0	470
2017	88	44	17	316	1	1	28	0	495
2018	84	43	15	302	1	1	25	0	471
2019	124	62	18	313	1	2	31	0	551
2020	132	67	23	325	0	1	38	0	586
2021	114	60	25	317	0	1	34	0	551
2022	104	42	26	293	0	1	45	0	511
2023	81	55	27	355	2	3	52	0	575
2024	89	71	25	370	2	1	57	0	615

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Cottonwood Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	277	8.5	32.5	n/a
1992	475	8.6	55.2	6.7
1993	584	21.5	27.2	9.8
1994	714	25.0	28.6	12.5
1995	822	28.5	28.8	18.4
1996	822	28.5	28.8	18.4
1997	812	30.5	26.6	13.7
1998	819	38.0	21.6	16.2
1999	803	41.0	19.6	17.3
2000	714	35.0	20.4	16.5
2001	723	34.0	21.3	17.7
2002	826	39.0	21.2	17.9
2003	826	39.0	21.2	17.9
2004	701	33.4	21.0	31.4
2005	686	34.6	19.8	37.2
2006	824	25.9	31.8	0
2007	832	31.9	26.1	35.2
2008	788	39.0	20.2	41.1
2009	740	27.7	24.9	44.3
2010	657	27.0	24.3	49.8
2011	601	n/a	n/a	48.6
2012	599	23.0	26.0	44.2
2013	508	19.0	26.7	54.9
2014	469	17.0	27.5	57.6
2015	467	17.0	27.4	63
2016	470	18.0	26.1	60
2017	495	17.0	29.1	59.2
2018	471	18.0	26.1	65.2
2019	551	19.0	29.0	62.1
2020	586	n/a	n/a	59.2
2021	551	21.0	26.2	56.3
2022	511	19.0	26.8	57.1
2023	575	21.0	27.3	58.8
2024	615	22.0	27.9	57.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Cottonwood Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1991	277	8.5	32.5	n/a
1992	475	8.6	55.2	6.7
1993	584	21.5	27.2	9.8
1994	714	25.0	28.6	12.5
1995	822	28.5	28.8	18.4
1996	822	28.5	28.8	18.4
1997	812	30.5	26.6	13.7
1998	819	38.0	21.6	16.2
1999	803	41.0	19.6	17.3
2000	714	35.0	20.4	16.5
2001	723	34.0	21.3	17.7
2002	826	39.0	21.2	17.9
2003	826	39.0	21.2	17.9
2004	701	33.4	21.0	31.4
2005	686	34.6	19.8	37.2
2006	824	25.9	31.8	0
2007	832	31.9	26.1	35.2
2008	788	39.0	20.2	41.1
2009	740	27.7	24.9	44.3
2010	657	27.0	24.3	49.8
2011	601	n/a	n/a	48.6
2012	599	23.0	26.0	44.2
2013	508	19.0	26.7	54.9
2014	469	17.0	27.5	57.6
2015	467	17.0	27.4	63
2016	470	18.0	26.1	60
2017	495	17.0	29.1	59.2
2018	471	18.0	26.1	65.2
2019	551	19.0	29.0	62.1
2020	586	n/a	n/a	59.2
2021	551	21.0	26.2	56.3
2022	511	19.0	26.8	57.1
2023	575	21.0	27.3	58.8
2024	615	22.0	27.9	57.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

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