Best Public Schools in Cottonwood, CA

Cottonwood, California, is served by seven public schools across four districts, offering education from kindergarten through 12th grade, including a standout charter school and an alternative education option, with a total enrollment of over 3,000 students.

Among these schools, Cottonwood Creek Charter is the top academic performer, achieving the highest test scores in English and math while spending the least per student. In contrast, Evergreen Institute of Excellence, an alternative K-12 school, reports perfect graduation rates and near-perfect attendance but much lower standardized test scores. The traditional West Valley Early College High also shows strong graduation rates but faces higher chronic absenteeism.

Overall, schools in the Evergreen Union district maintain lower absenteeism, while those in the Cottonwood Union Elementary district tend to have higher rates. The data suggests a strong link between attendance and performance, and reveals that higher spending does not automatically lead to better test scores, as evidenced by the efficient results at Cottonwood Creek Charter.