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Cottonwood Classical Prep

Public, Charter Grades 6-12

1^st

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 131 New Mexico High Schools

Better than 99% of New Mexico high schools

Summary

Cottonwood Classical Prep is a high-performing public charter school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, serving grades 6-12 with an enrollment of 807 students. This school has consistently ranked among the top high schools in the state, earning a statewide ranking of 1 out of 131 high schools in the 2024-2025 school year and a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Cottonwood Classical Prep significantly outperforms the state and local district averages in academic assessments. In the 2024-2025 school year, 81.43% of students were proficient or better in English Language Arts, compared to the state average of 44.19%. In mathematics, 56.82% of Cottonwood students were proficient or better, compared to 26.81% statewide. The school also excelled in science, with 89.23% of 11th-grade students proficient or better, compared to 41.69% statewide. Additionally, Cottonwood Classical Prep has consistently high graduation rates, with a 95.6% four-year graduation rate in the 2023-2024 school year, significantly higher than the state average.

Cottonwood Classical Prep's performance extends across various student subgroups, ranking 1st out of 13 New Mexico high schools for Asian students, 2nd out of 98 for Hispanic students, and 1st out of 117 for White students in the 2024-2025 school year. The school also ranked 1st out of 127 high schools for students of low socioeconomic status in the 2023-2024 school year. While the school's performance for students with special needs is more modest, ranking 14th out of 32 New Mexico high schools in the 2023-2024 school year, Cottonwood Classical Prep continues to be a standout high-performing school in the state, consistently delivering exceptional academic results and high graduation rates.

852

Students ?

13.9

Student/teacher ratio ?

8.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

7801 Jefferson St NE
Albuquerque, NM 87109

(505) 998-1021

District: Cottonwood Classical Prep

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

54.8%

White:

25.7%

Two or more races:

12.6%

See top rated New Mexico high schools

Compare Cottonwood Classical Prep to nearby high schools!

At a glance

▬ Ranking trend: Holding steady — 97th percentile in 2011 → 99th in 2025

Strengths

✓Test scores above the New Mexico average (69% vs 34% meeting standards)

✓Ranks in the top 1% of New Mexico high schools

✓97% graduate in 4 years — above the New Mexico average (81%)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school69%

District avg69%

New Mexico avg34%

Middle school

13^th of 192

New Mexico public middle schools ?

Top 7%▲ up 1 pts since 2015

See the entire ranking list of New Mexico Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

1^st of 131

New Mexico public high schools ?

Top 1%▲ up 4 pts since 2015

From top 5% (2015) to top 1% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of New Mexico High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

2^nd of 82Cottonwood Classical Prep among New Mexico districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2025	93.6	13 of 192	93.2%	★★★★★
2018	94.2	6 of 186	96.8%	★★★★★
2017	88.2	16 of 176	90.9%	★★★★★
2016	83.7	21 of 208	89.9%	★★★★★
2015	86.6	17 of 207	91.8%	★★★★★
2014	90.9	12 of 222	94.6%	★★★★★
2013	94.9	7 of 193	96.4%	★★★★★
2012	96.3	3 of 178	98.3%	★★★★★
2011	95.2	5 of 173	97.1%	★★★★★
2010	95.7	8 of 179	95.5%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2018	92.4	7 of 156	95.5%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2025	92.0	7 of 148	95.3%	★★★★★
2018	92.7	4 of 149	97.3%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2025	85.1	21 of 173	87.9%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2018	94.4	7 of 151	95.4%	★★★★★

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2025	93.2	10 of 178	94.4%	★★★★★
2018	90.2	5 of 120	95.8%	★★★★★

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2025	98.7	1 of 131	99.2%	★★★★★
2024	97.9	2 of 172	98.8%	★★★★★
2018	89.4	13 of 182	92.9%	★★★★★
2017	88.3	17 of 158	89.2%	★★★★☆
2016	84.8	16 of 185	91.4%	★★★★★
2015	88.0	9 of 193	95.3%	★★★★★
2014	98.0	3 of 198	98.5%	★★★★★
2013	98.6	2 of 177	98.9%	★★★★★
2012	99.0	2 of 163	98.8%	★★★★★
2011	97.6	5 of 157	96.8%	★★★★★
2010	97.6	4 of 154	97.4%	★★★★★

Asian

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	82.1	1 of 13	92.3%	★★★★★

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	94.5	6 of 142	95.8%	★★★★★
2018	87.8	14 of 145	90.3%	★★★★★

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2025	98.0	2 of 98	98.0%	★★★★★
2024	95.3	7 of 136	94.9%	★★★★★
2018	92.8	8 of 133	94.0%	★★★★★

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	99.8	1 of 127	99.2%	★★★★★

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	99.0	2 of 150	98.7%	★★★★★
2018	86.8	19 of 143	86.7%	★★★★☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2024	50.5	14 of 32	56.3%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	New Mexico percentile	Rating
2025	98.5	1 of 117	99.1%	★★★★★
2024	97.0	2 of 136	98.5%	★★★★★
2018	79.3	17 of 115	85.2%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Middle school

Female (2018)96th percentile~ school

Male (2018)95th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)95th percentile~ school

White (2025)94th percentile~ school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)88th percentile-5 vs school

High school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)99th percentile~ school

White (2025)99th percentile~ school

Male (2024)99th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)98th percentile~ school

Female (2024)96th percentile-3 vs school

Asian (2024)92nd percentile-7 vs school

Special Education (2024)56th percentile-43 vs school

By subject vs New Mexico (2024-2025) ?

English Language Arts81%+37 vs state

Science69%+34 vs state

Mathematics57%+30 vs state

4.1

13 ratings · 10 written reviews

5★9

4★1

3★0

2★1

1★2

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, March 10, 2017

My son has loved it. Great teachers, no complaints from this family. In a few years I will proudly have both my boys at CCPS. Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, March 1, 2017

I have two children, one in 10th grade and one in 7th grade. CCPS provides an excellent atmosphere for them and I feel they are being well prepared for life. Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, March 30, 2014

This school is administered very well. Teachers are held to a standard and removed if they don't meet them. Close Quote

by a citizen
Tuesday, December 11, 2012

This is what school choice is all about! Cottonwood has been a public International Baccalaureate high school for three years. Albuquerque Public Schools (APS) wants to lay claim that they are the first to bring this kind of school into New Mexico, but they are blowing smoke, as usual. Charter schools were intended to be innovative in their approaches so that other public schools might follow in their footsteps. Looks like that is coming to fruition, if only APS could acknowledge that there are others out there who have actually been the pioneers and paved the way for them! Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, February 15, 2012

I would recommend this amazing school to all students that want to learn. I volunteer at the front desk and have never seen such dedicated staff and faculty. It is heartwarming to see an administration that is so proactive with what is best for the students and not for the convenience of staff and parents. They have policies and guidelines in place to facilitate the students learning and to distract them from outside influences. They are not afraid to change faculty to meet the needs of the students and the charter. You will not see stale, lackadaisical or passive behavior at this school. I am so thankful my child was drawn it their lottery and wish every child in New Mexico had this opportunity. Close Quote

by a parent
Monday, January 16, 2012

I would not recommend this school to anyone.....Lots of fluff....No substance. They do not prepare your child adequately nor do they offer real teaching. The method they use is a poor way of teaching...example..no grammar in 6th grade..what is that....alowed to pass math tests with test corrections.. The teacher turn over is terrible as well, leaving the child to contend with different teaching styles and grades that do not reflect the childs true progress. Furthermore, there is nepotism in the administrative leadership of the school. This school sounds good on paper but delivers nothing.....BEWARE!!!!!!! Close Quote

by a student
Sunday, November 6, 2011

This is an amazing school that offers so many opportunities. Some may say this school has problems but it is all in early stages. When someone gets a brand new puppy, it is terrible and un-organized. That is like Cottonwood Classical. But you wouldn't just through your puppy in the trash because there are great things awaiting. THAT is a great example of our school. Now, the school has grown into an amazing learning environment and there are so many teachers who actually care to be teaching us. I am already in a Pre- IB class and I'm only in 8th grade. Give this school a chance because it is molding us, as children, to succeed. :) Close Quote

by a student
Sunday, October 9, 2011

An amazing difference from public high schools in New Mexico. It's amazing education makes up for the minor problems (which any new school such as this would have). Close Quote

by a parent
Wednesday, March 2, 2011

Check the IB website for the multitude of opportunities an IB school creates for you.
For a new school, CCPS is doing great. Yes there are growing pains, but each year gets better and better. There is no way I would consider moving my kids any place else. They have strong friendships, the teachers and admin are great, and they are getting an education you would otherwise have to pay for, which is something I cannot afford to do. Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, September 19, 2010

So many thing are wrong with this school, it's difficult to know where to begin. The charter itself isn't followed, so this is just like any public school. There isn't much physical space for the kids. The purported ratios of 12 students to one teacher are bogus. Most classes are large and some of them, like science, are often extremely so. There are few after school activities unless sports is your thing. The staff seems to be related or married in to the family of the founder. The teachers do a pretty good job just like at any public school, and just like at a public school, there are some teachers who don't do so great. The school seems to be challenged in finding math teachers. Do your research on the IB program, which sounds great, but when you check with individual colleges, many of them do not count it at all. Close Quote

Schools Near Cottonwood Classical Prep

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				SAT School Day English Language Arts (2025)	SAT School Day Mathematics (2025)	NM-ASR Science (2025)			NM-MSSA English Language Arts (2025)				NM-MSSA Mathematics (2025)				Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	SAT School Day English Language Arts 11th Grade	SAT School Day Mathematics 11th Grade	NM-ASR Science 8th Grade	NM-ASR Science 11th Grade	NM-ASR Science All Grades	NM-MSSA English Language Arts 6th Grade	NM-MSSA English Language Arts 7th Grade	NM-MSSA English Language Arts 8th Grade	NM-MSSA English Language Arts All Grades	NM-MSSA Mathematics 6th Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics 7th Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics 8th Grade	NM-MSSA Mathematics All Grades	Total
Cottonwood Classical Prep	Public, Charter	6-12	7801 Jefferson St NE	Albuquerque	87109	Bernalillo County	Cottonwood Classical Prep	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(505) 998-1021	852	61	13.9	8.8%	219 (25.7%)	19 (2.2%)	467 (54.8%)	28 (3.3%)	12 (1.4%)	0 (0.0%)	107 (12.6%)	98.7	1^st of 131 public high schools	99.2%		97.9	2^nd of 172 public high schools	98.8%	1	92.3	49.2	60.3	89.2	69.2	83.4	82.0	78.8	81.4	62.9	68.7	38.4	56.8
Health Leadership High School	Public, Charter	9-12	6401 Jefferson Street NE	Albuquerque	87109	Bernalillo County	Albuquerque	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(505) 750-4547	233	15	15.8	68.7%	24 (10.3%)	3 (1.3%)	199 (85.4%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (0.9%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.1%)								(n/a)														$10,187
The Great Academy	Public, Charter	6-12	6001-A San Mateo Blvd NE	Albuquerque	87109	Bernalillo County	The Great Academy	Yes	(n/a)	No	Yes	(505) 792-0306	59	9	6.2	69.5%	5 (8.5%)	3 (5.1%)	44 (74.6%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (5.1%)	0 (0.0%)	4 (6.8%)								(n/a)														$11,383
La Cueva High	Public	9-12	7801 Wilshire NE	Albuquerque	87122	Bernalillo County	Albuquerque	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 823-2327	1,826	122	14.9	96.8%	724 (39.6%)	24 (1.3%)	756 (41.4%)	151 (8.3%)	41 (2.2%)	4 (0.2%)	126 (6.9%)	92.8	11^th of 131 public high schools	91.6%		92.3	13^th of 172 public high schools	92.4%	2	78.0	49.5		63.8										$7,910
Nex Gen Academy	Public	9-12	5325 Montgomery NE	Albuquerque	87109	Bernalillo County	Albuquerque	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 878-6400	198	19	10.3	88.4%	56 (28.3%)	3 (1.5%)	119 (60.1%)	1 (0.5%)	8 (4.0%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (5.6%)	84.8	19^th of 131 public high schools	85.5%		90	14^th of 172 public high schools	91.9%	5	62.2	32.4		69.4										$8,453
Del Norte High	Public	9-12	5323 Montgomery NE	Albuquerque	87110	Bernalillo County	Albuquerque	No	(n/a)	No	Yes	(505) 883-7222	1,079	71	15.2	96.2%	104 (9.6%)	50 (4.6%)	649 (60.1%)	38 (3.5%)	171 (15.8%)	0 (0.0%)	67 (6.2%)	21.7	102^nd of 131 public high schools	22.1%		27.1	115^th of 172 public high schools	33.1%	13	28.8	6.1		32.4										$10,957
Sandia High	Public	9-12	7801 Candelaria NE	Albuquerque	87110	Bernalillo County	Albuquerque	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 294-1511	1,618	114	14.2	96.8%	385 (23.8%)	55 (3.4%)	926 (57.2%)	62 (3.8%)	90 (5.6%)	1 (0.1%)	99 (6.1%)	71.2	31^st of 131 public high schools	76.3%		64.6	48^th of 172 public high schools	72.1%	17	58.4	25.3		55.3										$8,994
Sequoyah	Public	6-12	3405 Pan American Fwy	Albuquerque	87107	Bernalillo County	Sequoyah	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 222-0355	19	0	1900.0	15.8%	1 (5.3%)	1 (5.3%)	10 (52.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (36.8%)								(n/a)
Foothill High School	Public	6-12	400 Edith Blvd NE	Albuquerque	87107	Bernalillo County	Juvenile Justice	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 841-2400	57	13	4.5	94.7%	7 (12.3%)	4 (7.0%)	42 (73.7%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.5%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (3.5%)								(n/a)
Camino Nuevo Youth	Public	6-12	4050 Edith Blvd NE	Albuquerque	87107	Bernalillo County	Juvenile Justice	No	(n/a)	No	No	(505) 841-2400	0	0			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()								(n/a)

Frequently Asked Questions about Cottonwood Classical Prep

What district is Cottonwood Classical Prep in?

Cottonwood Classical Prep

How many students attend Cottonwood Classical Prep?

In the 2024-25 school year, 852 students attended Cottonwood Classical Prep.

Is Cottonwood Classical Prep a good school?

Yes! Cottonwood Classical Prep is one of the best high schools in the state. It ranks 1^st of 131 New Mexico high schools.

What is the racial makeup of Cottonwood Classical Prep?

Students at Cottonwood Classical Prep are 55% Hispanic, 26% White, 13% Two or more races, 3% Asian, 2% African American, 1% American Indian.

Rate Cottonwood Classical Prep!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the New Mexico Public Education Department.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.