The top reported proficiency rate is 66% in Math. The lowest is 52% in Science.
Original Research by School Decision on Cottonwood Elementary School
Cottonwood Elementary School is a regular public school in the Vail Unified District, serving kindergarten through sixth grade from a campus in southeastern Tucson. The school sits in a part of the city that blends suburban development with the open desert landscape, near the Rincon Mountains and not far from Saguaro National Park. The area has seen continued residential growth, and the district itself has been expanding capacity, opening its twenty-second school in recent years. For a family looking at this part of town, the school is one of several elementary options within a district that has a reputation for being fast-growing in the region.
Academically, Cottonwood Elementary posts strong results relative to other schools in Pima County. On state assessments taken in the most recent year, the school’s overall proficiency index placed it in the top quarter of districts across the county. In math, the share of students meeting proficiency was solid across the tested grades, with a clear upward trend from third grade to fifth grade. In English language arts, the picture was more mixed. Fourth graders performed well, but third-grade and fifth-grade results were lower, particularly in third grade where fewer than half of students reached the proficient mark. In science, tested in fifth grade, about half of students scored at the proficient level or above. These are the only recent test results available, so there is no multi-year trend to compare against. A parent may want to ask the school how it supports reading and writing skills in the early grades, especially given the drop in third-grade ELA proficiency.
The student body is roughly evenly split between Hispanic and white students, each making up a little over two-fifths of enrollment, with the remaining students identifying as two or more races, Black, Asian, or American Indian. The school enrolls just over five hundred students, with class sizes that appear moderate for an elementary school. Data on the share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals, receive special education services, or are English learners was not available, so it is not possible to characterize the level of economic or linguistic diversity from this record. That information is commonly reported by schools, and a family can ask directly.
The housing market in the school’s immediate zip code reflects a moderately priced area compared to the broader Tucson metro. Home values sit near the middle of the range for the region, and rents are comparable to the city average. The affordability picture is typical for a growing Sun Belt city: homeownership requires a significant income, and the mortgage payment is notably higher than the median rent. The national unemployment rate and mortgage rates at the time of this data were in the range that has become common in recent years.
The school is part of the Vail Unified District, which has been expanding to accommodate a growing student population. The district’s decision to open a new campus in 2025 suggests that enrollment pressures are being addressed with new capacity, which could affect attendance boundaries and school choice options for families in the area. Cottonwood Elementary itself shows no special designations such as magnet or charter status, and its Title I status was not reported.
For a parent or resident evaluating this school, the academic picture is one of a school that performs well in math and science, with ELA results that have a soft spot in the lower elementary grades. The setting is a suburban edge of Tucson that is still building out, with a district that is actively managing growth. The student body is diverse in racial and ethnic makeup, though the economic profile is not clear from the available data. Families who prioritize strong math performance and a school in a growing district may find Cottonwood a good fit. Those concerned about early literacy outcomes may want to look more closely at reading interventions and supports.
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