The top reported proficiency rate is 91% in Math. The lowest is 70% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cottonwood Education Services
Cottonwood Education Services is a small, regular public school serving preschool through twelfth grade, located in the city of Cottonwood within the Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District. It is not a charter school. Its enrollment is small, and that enrollment is spread across the full grade band in an uneven way: the largest groups are in prekindergarten, ninth grade, and tenth grade, while several elementary and middle grades have very few students or none at all, as with eighth grade where the state count showed zero students.
The student body is majority white, with a substantial Hispanic share and small numbers of American Indian, Black, and multiracial students. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not available, and free- or reduced-price meal eligibility data was also missing, so the economic profile of the student population is not clear from the information on hand.
State testing results are available for only a limited set of grades and subjects. For eighth grade, the school posted a proficiency rate in math above the state median, and in reading and language arts it also performed above typical levels. In eighth-grade science the proficiency rate was solidly above average. For third grade, both math and English language arts results were suppressed, which in a school this small typically reflects very low student counts rather than withheld data. Because the school enrolls students across all grades but testing is reported for only a narrow slice of them, these results offer a partial picture at best. Overall proficiency across the tested subjects and grades placed the school in the top quartile relative to districts in Yavapai County, which is a strong showing for the scores that are available.
There is no graduation rate data, and no information on chronic absenteeism, discipline, staffing, or course access such as Advanced Placement or dual enrollment. The school’s website and program offerings were not included in the data, so there is no way to assess what academic pathways, career programs, or support services are available. A parent looking for that detail would need to contact the school directly.
Cottonwood itself is the retail and services hub of the Verde Valley. Its historic Old Town district runs along Main Street with wine tasting rooms, restaurants, and shops. Outside Old Town, commercial development spread southward along the main highways in recent decades, creating a more car-dependent strip. The city has experienced steady growth driven by mild climate, proximity to outdoor recreation such as Dead Horse Ranch State Park and the Verde River, and the expansion of the local medical center as a major employer. New residential projects like Cottonwood Ranch and the gradual build-out of the Verde Village subdivision have added housing. The city has also taken steps to become a full-service municipality by acquiring private water companies. Public transit connects Cottonwood with Clarkdale, Verde Village, and Sedona via the Cottonwood Area Transit system.
For the parent of a child with special learning needs, or for any parent wanting details on curriculum, staffing ratios, or support services, the available data is thin. The school serves a broad range of ages in one building with a very small total enrollment, which means many grades have just a handful of students. That kind of setting can offer close relationships and flexible grouping, but it also means fewer peers in a given grade and limited course breadth. A family considering this school would likely want to visit and ask directly about the academic program, high school course offerings, college and career counseling, and the staffing model that allows a single school to serve prekindergarten through twelfth grade.
See more original research from School Decision →