West Cottonwood Junior High, Cottonwood CA

Original Research by School Decision on West Cottonwood Junior High

West Cottonwood Junior High serves students in grades 5 through 8 in the rural community of Cottonwood, an unincorporated area in southern Shasta County sitting along Interstate 5 between Redding and Red Bluff. The school enrolls a modest population drawn from a surrounding area with strong ranching and agricultural roots. Most students are white, with a smaller Hispanic population and representation from several other groups; a substantial share of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting the economic profile of the rural region.

In math, the school's proficiency results show a clear pattern of struggle. Fifth graders performed near the bottom of the range, with sixth and seventh graders performing somewhat better, and eighth graders dropping again. Across all tested math grades, proficiency sits below the midpoint statewide. In English language arts, the school performs better. Fifth, seventh, and eighth graders all post proficiency rates above half, with seventh grade performing strongest. Sixth grade dips slightly but remains close to half proficient. Science proficiency is markedly weaker, with fifth grade in the low-to-mid range and eighth grade substantially lower. The school has one data point for social studies from an older assessment, showing about half proficient.

Across tested subjects and grades, West Cottonwood's overall proficiency index places it above the midpoint among the districts in Shasta County, a meaningful position that reflects strength in English language arts offsetting challenges in math and science.

The school sits within Cottonwood Union Elementary district, which is navigating fiscal pressure. In February 2025, the district cut roughly one of every handful of full-time positions due to a budget shortfall, eliminating a teacher, curriculum coach, aides, a behavioral technician, a bus driver, and a custodian, among others. The district also reassigned English Language Learner coordination to a school principal. These changes mean reduced staffing and support services that may affect class support and specialized programs. In a more positive move, voters approved a general obligation bond in November 2024 for roof replacement, classroom modernization, HVAC and plumbing upgrades, and safety improvements; this adds an ongoing property tax cost that a family considering a move to the area would factor into housing decisions.

The community itself has grown rapidly in recent decades, driven by new residential development along the I-5 corridor. The town retains a historic core around Front Street with antique and craft shops and a frontier character, while modern commercial areas and newer subdivisions have expanded outward. Civic life centers on the community library, local rodeo events that anchor community identity, and the historic district. The local employer base includes small businesses, shops, restaurants, and a substantial ranching and livestock sector, though larger regional employment in healthcare, retail, and manufacturing is concentrated in nearby Anderson and Redding.

Median home values in the Cottonwood zip code are moderate relative to California statewide, and rentals are similarly positioned. A parent should note that the district's recent budget cuts and staffing reductions may warrant a conversation with the school about the current scope of support services and class sizes.

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Academic performance

How students perform on state tests, by grade, set against the district.

Math

Grade 527%

School 27% · District 27%

▼ 3 pts below state median · ▼ 2 pts below county median

Grade 642%

School 42% · District 42%

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 9 pts above county median

Grade 744%

School 44% · District 44%

▲ 14 pts above state median · ▲ 11 pts above county median

Grade 829%

School 29% · District 29%

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 5 pts below county median

English language arts

Grade 554%

School 54% · District 54%

▲ 8 pts above state median · ▲ 5 pts above county median

Grade 648%

School 48% · District 48%

▲ 5 pts above state median · ▲ 1 pts above county median

Grade 757%

School 57% · District 57%

▲ 12 pts above state median · ▲ 6 pts above county median

Grade 846%

School 46% · District 46%

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 4 pts below county median

Science

Grade 538%

School 38% · District 38%

▲ 10 pts above state median · ▲ 4 pts above county median

Grade 822%

School 22% · District 22%

▼ 4 pts below state median · ▼ 14 pts below county median

Social studies

Grade 850%

School 50% · District 52% · ▼ 2 pts below district

▲ 1 pts above state median · ▼ 1 pts below county median

This schoolCottonwood Union Elementary, same grade

Graduation rate (ACGR) reflects the federally published Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate for the most recent year available. We refresh this data annually at the close of each academic year in June. The federal source publishes a banded rate (for example, "90-94%") instead of an exact number for cohorts small enough to risk identifying individual students. The state distribution chart, where shown, plots every school in the state with a published rate or band; schools whose rate is federally suppressed are excluded. Where the federal source publishes a band rather than an exact rate, the school is placed within its band using a stable, ID-derived offset, so its position is consistent across visits.

Proficiency by household income

English language arts

Grade 5Lower-income47%Higher-income60%13 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income34%Higher-income65%31 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income43%Higher-income70%27 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income36%Higher-income57%21 pp gap

Mathematics

Grade 5Lower-income21%Higher-income34%13 pp gap

Grade 6Lower-income34%Higher-income51%17 pp gap

Grade 7Lower-income38%Higher-income49%11 pp gap

Grade 8Lower-income24%Higher-income35%11 pp gap