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Excellent

#254 of 2,228 schools in WA

Top 11% in state

Cottonwood Elementary School

Elementary School · West Valley School District (yakima) · Yakima, WA

A West Valley School District (yakima) elementary school where students score 17 points above what's typical for similar communities.

1041 S 96th Ave, Yakima, WA 98908

  • Math 66% vs WA 46% (2024)
  • Reading 71% vs WA 50% (2024)
  • 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress9.4Excellent50%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data12
Annual Change-0.16 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2024
TrendStable
Academics9.4Excellent30%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency65.5% (2024 SBA)
Reading/ELA Proficiency70.8% (2024 SBA)
Math vs. State Avg+13.7 pts
Reading vs. State Avg+22.4 pts
Overall Proficiency68% (2024 SBA, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)51% (model expectation from 2024 SBA)
vs. Expected+16.8 pts
Adjusted Percentile91th
Resources & Environment5.5Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.7:1
District spending per student$15,141
Chronic Absenteeism35.1%

Students at Cottonwood Elementary School score 68% proficient, which is above what's typical for similar communities (expected: 51%).

How we calculate scores →

2024 SBA proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. WA average.

Math Proficiency66%(2024 SBA)
School
State
46%(2024 SBA)
ELA Proficiency71%(2024 SBA)
School
State
50%(2024 SBA)

Trend

→ Steady

Proficiency has held near 69% across the 16-year record (2009–2024).

Show all 12 years
2009
Math
61%
ELA
71%
2010
Math
62%
ELA
77%
2011
Math
77%
ELA
77%
2012
Math
72%
ELA
82%
2014
Math
67%
ELA
62%
2015
Math
82%
ELA
72%
2016
Math
72%
ELA
62%
2017
Math
67%
ELA
67%
2018
Math
72%
ELA
72%
2019
Math
72%
ELA
72%
2022
Math
70%
ELA
67%
2024
Math
66%
ELA
71%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 69% (multi-year average, 2009-2024) · reading/ELA 71% (multi-year average, 2009-2024)

Based on 32 test records from WA state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

40.2%

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 Elementary School sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 8Car-Dependent
  • Bike 26Somewhat Bikeable
  • City Safety: High2,604/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · city context (Yakima), not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. Freshness not available.

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

Median income

$80,266

Median home value

$356,900

Median rent

$1,302/mo

College educated

32.8%

Homeownership

69.6%

Poverty rate

8.8%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 98908; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

3 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Apple Valley ElementaryEnrollment path unverified9.0K–50.9 mi454Compare →
West Valley Virtual Academy K-6Enrollment path unverifiedNot ratedK–60.9 mi24Compare →
Wide Hollow ElementaryEnrollment path unverified6.2K–51.4 mi443Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

West Valley School District (yakima)

Schools in district
16
Rank in district
#3 of 11
District spending per student
$15,141NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
11.8%Census SAIPE · 2024

Cottonwood Elementary School is listed in West Valley School District (Yakima); a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About Cottonwood Elementary School

Cottonwood Elementary School is a public elementary school in Yakima, WA, part of West Valley School District (yakima), serving approximately 368 students in grades Kindergarten-5th with a 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 out of 10 and ranks #254 of 2,228 schools in WA. State assessment records show 69% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Cottonwood Elementary School

What grades does Cottonwood Elementary School serve?

Cottonwood Elementary School serves students in grades Kindergarten through 5th.

How many students attend Cottonwood Elementary School?

Cottonwood Elementary School has an enrollment of approximately 368 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary School?

The student-teacher ratio at Cottonwood Elementary School is 16.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Cottonwood Elementary School rank in WA?

Cottonwood Elementary School ranks #254 of 2,228 schools in WA.

What is Cottonwood Elementary School's MySchoolScout rating?

Cottonwood Elementary School has a current MySchoolScout rating of 8.6 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 Elementary School?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Cottonwood Elementary School has 69% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024) and 71% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2024).

Is Cottonwood Elementary School a charter school?

No, Cottonwood Elementary School is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is Cottonwood Elementary School a Title I school?

No, Cottonwood Elementary School is not currently a Title I school.

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

40.2% of students at Cottonwood Elementary School 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 – 5th
Enrollment
368
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
22
Type
regular
Setting
Midsize Suburb
County
Yakima County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
35.1%
Area population (ZIP 98908)
37,921
Area average commute
19.1 min
Area median age
39.9
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 SBA · 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 from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2024 SBA · 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 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 98908; 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, 2009-2024; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

Related reading

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