5.3 avg / 10

Best Schools in Cottonwood, Arizona

12 schools · 6 Elementary · 3 High · 3 Other

Last updated: July 2026

Public: 10

Private: 2

Districts: 5

Avg Rating: 5.3/10

Move-ready shortlistcity map + schools

Choosing a school in Cottonwood?

Use this page to compare every school in Cottonwood by level, neighborhood, and district — and find the right fit, not just the top of the list.

Explore the map How we rate schools

Shortlist starter

Start with these real page-level signals, then use the full table and map below.

Elementary · Cottonwood-oak Creek Elementary District (4487). Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

Other · Edkey Inc. Dba American Heritage Academy (6365). Ranked from real test data; use the map and table below to check address fit.

The short answer

The top-rated schools in Cottonwood for 2026 are Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School (6.9/10), Cottonwood Community School (6.6/10), and American Heritage Academy - Cottonwood (6.2/10), based on MySchoolScout's analysis of real test data across 9 rated schools. Ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment (plus college readiness for high schools), with equity shown as context, not scored; schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Top-Rated Schools in Cottonwood

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite using only schools with real test data (9 of 12). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#	School	Rating	Level	Value	State %ile
1	Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School	6.9 / 10	Elementary	—	62th
2	Cottonwood Community School	6.6 / 10	Elementary	—	56th
3	American Heritage Academy - Cottonwood	6.2 / 10	Other	—	49th
4	Verde Christian Academy	5.3 / 10	Elementary	—	18th
5	Mingus Union High School	5.2 / 10	High	—	29th
6	Cottonwood Education Services	4.9 / 10	Other	—	24th
7	Mountain View Preparatory School	4.7 / 10	Elementary	—	20th
8	Rise Resource Center	4.0 / 10	Other	—	2th
9	American Heritage Academy - Camp Verde	2.6 / 10	Elementary	—	1th

See every school — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

Family Snapshot

At a glance

Avg school rating: 5.3/10
Median household income: $58,250
Median home value: $312,400
Bachelor's degree or higher: 25%
Avg commute: 21 min
Owner-occupied homes: 64%

How Cottonwood compares

Arizona rank

#83 of 95

cities by avg. school score

Vs. state average

-1.0

below Arizona avg (6.3)

Median household income

$58k

82% of Arizona median

Schools in this city

10

About Schools in Cottonwood, Arizona

Cottonwood, Arizona is home to 12 schools, including 10 public schools and 2 private schools. The city's schools span 6 elementary schools, , and 3 high schools.

With an average rating of 5.3 out of 10, schools in Cottonwood show moderate performance on the MySchoolScout composite scale, which blends student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

The highest-performing school in Cottonwood is Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School with a composite score of 6.9/10, demonstrating strong academic outcomes and school quality metrics.

Cottonwood is served by 5 school districts. These districts collectively serve 3,409 students.

Cottonwood's community shows 25% bachelor's degree attainment with a median household income of $58,250. The poverty rate in the area is 13.8%.

Browse the schools below to compare ratings, test scores, enrollment, and other key metrics. Use the filters to focus on specific school levels or types that match your family's needs.

Filter by Level: All Levels (12) Elementary (6) High (3)

Filter by Type: All Types (12) Public (10) Private (2)

Filter by Rating: All Ratings (12) Academics (8) Growth (7) Resources (8)

Filter by ZIP: 86326 (12)

Elementary Schools

6 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School 596 students · Pre-K–8th	596	Pre-K–8th	6.9
2	Liberty Leadership Academy 69 students · Kindergarten–8th	69	Kindergarten–8th	6.6
3	Cottonwood Community School 421 students · Kindergarten–8th	421	Kindergarten–8th	6.6
4	Mountain View Preparatory School 398 students · Kindergarten–8th	398	Kindergarten–8th	4.7
5	American Heritage Academy - Camp Verde 111 students · Kindergarten–8th	111	Kindergarten–8th	2.6
Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	Verde Christian Academy Private 168 students · Pre-K–8th	168	Pre-K–8th	5.3

High Schools

3 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	Mingus Union High School 1,201 students · 9th–12th	1,201	9th–12th	5.2
2	Vacte - Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education 11 students · 9th–12th	11	9th–12th	—
3	Mingus Online Academy 8 students · 8th–12th	8	8th–12th	—

Other Schools

3 schools

#	School	Enrollment	Grades	Rating
1	American Heritage Academy - Cottonwood 265 students · Kindergarten–12th	265	Kindergarten–12th	6.2
2	Cottonwood Education Services 93 students · Pre-K–12th	93	Pre-K–12th	4.9
Private Schools 1 school Private and public school ratings use different data sources and scoring models. Scores are not directly comparable across school types.
1	Rise Resource Center Private 46 students · Kindergarten–12th	46	Kindergarten–12th	4.0

Schools in Cottonwood

Cottonwood, Arizona · 12 schools

Community Demographics

Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates across 1 ZIP code

Median Income

$58,250

Median Home Value

$312,400

Median Rent

$1,102/mo

Population

25,476

College Educated

25%

Homeownership

64%

Avg Commute

21 min

Poverty Rate

13.8%

Community Profile

Cottonwood has a median household income of $58,250. It is an area where 25% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. The median home value in the area is $312,400, with a median rent of $1,102/month. The area has a poverty rate of 13.8%. The average commute for residents is 21 minutes. Source: U.S. Census ACS 2022 5-Year Estimates.

Schools by Level

State: Arizona
Elementary: 6
High: 3
Other: 3

Resources

🔍 Google "Cottonwood schools" 🏫 GreatSchools Cottonwood 📊 Niche Cottonwood Rankings 📍 Google Maps: Schools

School Districts (5)

Edkey Inc. dba American Heritage Academy (6365)

2 schools · 376 students

Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (79397)

7 schools · 13 students

Liberty Leadership Academy (1001520)

1 school · 69 students

Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)

6 schools · 1,742 students

Mingus Union High School District (4488)

2 schools · 1,209 students

Nearby Cities

Clarkdale (1 school)

5 mi

Cornville (2 schools)

6 mi

Camp Verde (6 schools)

Dewey-Humboldt (2 schools)

19 mi

Prescott Valley (16 schools)

Chino Valley (5 schools)

27 mi

Prescott (25 schools)

Flagstaff (14 schools)

39 mi

Other Major Cities in Arizona

Top metros statewide by school count.

Tucson 337 schools Mesa 154 schools Glendale 107 schools Chandler 93 schools Gilbert 85 schools

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about schools in Cottonwood, Arizona

How many schools are in Cottonwood, Arizona?

Cottonwood has 12 schools, including 10 public and 2 private schools spanning elementary, middle, and high school levels.

What is the average school rating in Cottonwood, Arizona?

The average MySchoolScout composite score for schools in Cottonwood is 5.3 out of 10, built from student growth, poverty-adjusted academic achievement, and school environment — plus college readiness for high schools.

What is the top-ranked school in Cottonwood, Arizona?

The top-ranked school in Cottonwood on MySchoolScout is Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School with a composite score of 6.9/10.

What is the best elementary school in Cottonwood, Arizona?

The top-ranked elementary school in Cottonwood on MySchoolScout is Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School with a composite score of 6.9/10.

What is the best high school in Cottonwood, Arizona?

The top-ranked high school in Cottonwood on MySchoolScout is Mingus Union High School with a composite score of 5.2/10.

How many school districts serve Cottonwood, Arizona?

Cottonwood is served by 5 school districts: Edkey Inc. Dba American Heritage Academy (6365), Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (79397), Liberty Leadership Academy (1001520), Cottonwood-oak Creek Elementary District (4487), Mingus Union High School District (4488).

What is the education level in Cottonwood, Arizona?

According to Census data, 25% of adults in Cottonwood have earned a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the median income in Cottonwood, Arizona?

The median household income in Cottonwood is approximately $58,250 according to Census ACS 2022 estimates.

Are there private schools in Cottonwood, Arizona?

Yes, Cottonwood has 2 private schools alongside 10 public schools. The top-rated private school is Verde Christian Academy with a score of 5.3/10.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Cottonwood, Arizona?

The average student-teacher ratio across schools in Cottonwood is 15.8:1. This ratio varies by school, so families should check individual school profiles for specific classroom sizes.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools in Cottonwood, Arizona?

MySchoolScout rates schools using publicly available data from the NCES Common Core of Data and state education departments. Each school receives a 1-10 composite score built from Student Growth, Poverty-Adjusted Academic Achievement, and School Environment — plus College Readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context but not scored.