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Below Average

#8294 of 9,539 schools in CA

Cottonwood

School · Cottonwood District · EL Dorado Hills, CA

A charter school in EL Dorado Hills, CA where students score 4 points below what's typical for similar communities.

Charter

3921 Sandstone Drive Ste. A, EL Dorado Hills, CA 95762

  • Math 34% vs CA 36% (2024)
  • Reading 51% vs CA 47% (2024)
  • 87.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress1.3Needs Improvement25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data4
Annual Change-4.44 pts/yr
Data Period2020–2024
TrendDeclining
Academics6.7Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency33.8% (2024 CAASPP)
Reading/ELA Proficiency49.3% (2024 CAASPP)
Math vs. State Avg-11.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+6.5 pts
Overall Proficiency42% (2024 CAASPP, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)45% (model expectation from 2024 CAASPP)
vs. Expected-3.5 pts
Adjusted Percentile52th
College Readiness4.5Below Average30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate87%
AP Participation0.1%
IB ProgramNo
Resources & Environment4.2Below Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio27.4:1
District spending per student$12,667
Chronic Absenteeism0.1%

Students at Cottonwood score 42% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 45%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 CAASPP proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. CA average.

Math Proficiency34%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
36%(2024 CAASPP)
ELA Proficiency51%(2024 CAASPP)
School
State
47%(2024 CAASPP)

Trend

↓ Declining

Proficiency has fallen 17 points since 2020, to 42% in 2024, across a 5-year record (2020–2024).

Show all 4 years by subject
2020*
Math
50%
ELA
70%
2021*
Math
50%
ELA
70%
2022
Math
32%
ELA
46%
2024
Math
34%
ELA
51%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 37% (multi-year average, 2020-2024) · reading/ELA 54% (multi-year average, 2020-2024)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 22 test records from CA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

52%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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

The neighborhood

Where Cottonwood sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Open the Sacramento map →

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 15Car-Dependent
  • Bike 30Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average560/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$165,979

Median home value

$881,500

Median rent

$2,479/mo

College educated

58.6%

Homeownership

87.2%

Poverty rate

3.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 95762; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offered
0.1% participation·State avg: 2.6 AP courses·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

4 from a 5-mile search

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Clarksville CharterCharter · enrollment unverified5.7K–120.4 mi2,161Compare →
John Adams Academy - EL Dorado HillsCharter · enrollment unverified5.2K–121.2 mi1,490Compare →
District Christian AcademyPrivate · tuition2.8private3–121.8 mi41Compare →
Buckeye Union Mandarin Immersion CharterCharter · enrollment unverified7.5K–122.5 mi144Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Private · tuition: Potential private option; tuition and admission requirements have not been verified.

Public and private scores come from different models and are shown side by side, not blended into one ranking.

Cottonwood District

Schools in district
1
Rank in district
#1 of 1
District spending per student
$12,667NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
The source release did not match this district identifier.

Cottonwood is listed in Cottonwood District; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Cottonwood

Cottonwood is a public school in EL Dorado Hills, CA, part of Cottonwood District, serving approximately 3,099 students in grades Kindergarten-12th with a 27.4:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.2 out of 10 and ranks #8,294 of 9,539 schools in CA. State assessment records show 37% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2020-2024) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2020-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Cottonwood

What grades does Cottonwood serve?

Cottonwood serves students in grades Kindergarten through 12th.

How many students attend Cottonwood?

Cottonwood has an enrollment of approximately 3,099 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood?

The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood is 27.4:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Cottonwood rank in CA?

Cottonwood ranks #8,294 of 9,539 schools in CA.

What is Cottonwood's MySchoolScout rating?

Cottonwood has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.2 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Cottonwood?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Cottonwood has 37% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2020-2024) and 54% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2020-2024).

Is Cottonwood a charter school?

Yes, Cottonwood is a charter school. Charter schools are publicly funded but independently operated, often with more flexibility in curriculum and teaching methods.

Is Cottonwood a Title I school?

No, Cottonwood is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Cottonwood?

52.0% of students at Cottonwood qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
Kindergarten – 12th
Enrollment
3,099
Student-Teacher Ratio
27.4:1
Teachers (FTE)
113
Type
regular
Setting
Large Suburb
County
El Dorado County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
0.1%
4-Year Graduation
87.0%
Area population (ZIP 95762)
47,262
Area average commute
31.5 min
Area median age
45.5
About this school's data

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named below.

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 CAASPP · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: 2024 CAASPP. A newer release may be available.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
NCES EdFacts · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 95762; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2020-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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