The top reported proficiency rate is 69% in Science. The lowest is 59% in Math.
Original Research by School Decision on Cottonwood Elementary
Cottonwood Elementary, a regular public school in Colorado City, Arizona, serves students from preschool through fifth grade as part of the Colorado City Unified District. The school sits in a remote rural town in the Arizona Strip, a region with a distinctive history and a community undergoing transition. For a parent considering this school, the picture is one of a small, straightforward elementary school where academic performance on state assessments is a clear strength, set within a district and town that are relatively young and finding their footing after demographic shifts.
State testing data from the most recent school year shows that Cottonwood Elementary’s students, overall, perform at a level that places the school in the top quarter of schools within Mohave County. Proficiency rates in both math and English language arts rise with each grade level tested, a pattern that suggests students build foundational skills as they move through the school. In third and fourth grade, roughly half of students met the state’s proficiency standard in math and English language arts. By fifth grade, the share of students reaching that bar climbs notably higher, reaching a substantial majority in math and an even stronger share in English language arts. Science results for fifth graders follow a similar pattern, with most students scoring at a proficient level or above. The academic picture here is one of consistent improvement across grade levels, and the overall proficiency index across tested subjects and grades is well above the middle among the county’s districts.
The student body is very homogeneous by race and ethnicity. The overwhelming majority of students are white, with very small numbers identifying as American Indian or Alaska Native, Hispanic, Black, or two or more races. Data on special populations, such as the share of students with disabilities or English learners, was not available. While free or reduced-price meal eligibility counts were also missing, the town’s reported median household income sits below many national figures, with a notable share of residents below the poverty line.
Colorado City itself is a small, low-density rural town with a young population. Its economy leans heavily on construction, education, health care, manufacturing, and retail. The school district is the largest single employer. The town experienced a substantial population decline over the past couple of decades and is now in a period of gradual recovery and revitalization, with new small businesses and a growing sense of diversity. Housing consists mostly of large single-family homes, and homeownership is common. There is no public transit, and residents rely on cars for the entire commute, with some traveling a significant distance to St. George, Utah, for work. The nearest hospital is also in St. George. Community anchors include parks, a library, a municipal airport, and recreation centers.
We looked for recent district-level changes, such as referenda, curriculum shifts, or property-tax changes, but found no evidence of lasting parent-relevant developments. The district appears to have been operating without major publicized disruption or reform in recent years. That said, the town’s planning commission is actively working on infrastructure improvements.
Cottonwood Elementary is a school that fits a family looking for a small, academically solid elementary school in a close-knit, rural community that is in a period of economic and social transition. The town’s young population and the school’s rising grade-level results point to a place where children generally do well on state standards by the time they reach fifth grade. A family moving to the area should be comfortable with a very long drive to major medical care and larger retail centers, and should expect a setting where the school is central to community life. The academic data is the school’s strong suit; families who want to dig deeper will want to ask the school directly about special education services and English learner supports, since those numbers were not in the available records.
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