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Cotton Center School

Q: Is Cotton Center School a good school?

Cotton Center School ranks 2199 th of 4627 Texas alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public, Alternative Grades PK, KG-12

2199^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 4,627 Texas Alternative Schools

Better than 52% of Texas alternative schools

Summary

Cotton Center School is a small, rural public school in Cotton Center, TX, serving 100 students in grades PK-12 within the Cotton Center Independent School District (Isd).

This school stands out for its remarkable commitment to student retention: it has achieved a perfect 100% graduation rate and a 0% dropout rate for five consecutive years. With an exceptionally low student-to-teacher ratio of 5.8:1 and high per-pupil spending of $20,621, the school provides a highly personalized learning environment. However, academic performance on standardized tests is volatile from year to year and grade to grade, a common challenge for very small schools where the results of just a few students can swing percentages dramatically. For example, in 2025-2026, 8th graders scored 87.5% proficient in reading, far above the state average, while 4th graders scored just 14.29% proficient in the same subject. This "feast or famine" pattern suggests the school prioritizes ensuring every student graduates over maximizing test scores.

Compared to nearby schools, Cotton Center offers a unique trade-off. It significantly outperforms the similar Anton School in most subjects, likely due to its higher spending and lower student-to-teacher ratio. However, Plainview Classical Academy, a larger charter school with a lower poverty rate, delivers more consistent, high test scores across all grades. Cotton Center’s strength lies in its role as a community safety net, ensuring every student—regardless of test performance—earns a diploma. One area for improvement is U.S. History, where the school has consistently scored below the state average in recent years.

100

Students ?

5.8

Student/teacher ratio ?

$15,423

Per pupil spending ?

62%

Free/discounted lunch ?

2345 Fm 179
Cotton Center, TX 79021-0350

(806) 810-7410

District: Cotton Center Independent School District (Isd)

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

52.0%

White:

42.0%

Asian:

3.0%

See top rated Texas elementary schools

Compare Cotton Center School to nearby alternative schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 41st percentile in 2023 → 51st in 2026

Strengths

✓100% graduate within 4 years

✓Ranking is trending up — up 10 percentile points since 2023

✓Above the Texas median (52nd percentile)

Worth a look

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

!U.S. History scores 15 pts below the Texas average

Students meeting standards (2025-2026) ?

This school49%

District avg49%

Texas avg50%

Elementary school

2,199^th of 4,627

Texas public elementary schools ?

Top 48%▲ up 4 pts since 2016

From bottom 49% (2016) to top 48% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

Middle school

880^th of 2,335

Texas public middle schools ?

Top 38%▼ down 23 pts since 2016

From top 15% (2016) to top 38% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas Middle Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

High school

993^rd of 2,009

Texas public high schools ?

Top 49%▼ down 4 pts since 2016

From top 45% (2016) to top 49% (2026)

See the entire ranking list of Texas High Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

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

Elementary school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	48.4	2199 of 4627	52.5%	★★★☆☆
2025	49.6	2161 of 4651	53.5%	★★★☆☆
2024	52.4	2027 of 4710	57.0%	★★★☆☆
2023	69.3	1194 of 4647	74.3%	★★★★☆
2022	51.2	2086 of 4581	54.5%	★★★☆☆
2021	77.4	836 of 4578	81.7%	★★★★☆
2019	37.3	2860 of 4479	36.1%	★★☆☆☆
2018	31.3	3108 of 4359	28.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2017	52.3	1844 of 4329	57.4%	★★★☆☆
2016	52.0	2201 of 4286	48.6%	★★☆☆☆
2015	77.0	902 of 4320	79.1%	★★★★☆
2014	70.6	1191 of 4260	72.0%	★★★★☆
2013	61.1	1665 of 4221	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2012	74.6	905 of 4206	78.5%	★★★★☆
2011	12.3	3927 of 4095	4.1%	☆☆☆☆☆
2010	35.3	3052 of 3937	22.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	46.2	2448 of 3884	37.0%	★★☆☆☆
2008	50.3	2185 of 3768	42.0%	★★☆☆☆
2007	26.0	3220 of 3724	13.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2006	31.9	2772 of 3476	20.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2005	49.5	2041 of 3475	41.3%	★★☆☆☆
2004	57.6	1602 of 3465	53.8%	★★★☆☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2019	58.0	1458 of 4295	66.1%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	52.5	2014 of 4658	56.8%	★★★☆☆
2023	48.8	2246 of 4588	51.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	63.1	1353 of 4499	69.9%	★★★☆☆
2019	36.4	2920 of 4348	32.8%	★★☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	45.9	2386 of 4465	46.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	75.3	695 of 4376	84.1%	★★★★☆
2021	74.2	705 of 4329	83.7%	★★★★☆
2019	18.5	3896 of 4188	7.0%	☆☆☆☆☆
2018	34.7	2933 of 4168	29.6%	★☆☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	33.5	3340 of 4520	26.1%	★☆☆☆☆
2024	35.5	3245 of 4594	29.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	60.3	1492 of 4521	67.0%	★★★☆☆
2022	64.4	1210 of 4477	73.0%	★★★★☆
2021	90.2	155 of 4451	96.5%	★★★★★
2019	39.2	2833 of 4309	34.3%	★★☆☆☆
2018	35.2	3024 of 4264	29.1%	★☆☆☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	62.4	1433 of 4582	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	82.0	608 of 4647	86.9%	★★★★☆
2022	38.9	2802 of 4563	38.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	84.7	531 of 4498	88.2%	★★★★☆
2019	54.7	1724 of 4357	60.4%	★★★☆☆
2018	40.3	2531 of 4319	41.4%	★★☆☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	29.5	2442 of 3082	20.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	26.0	2596 of 3142	17.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	35.0	2173 of 3127	30.5%	★★☆☆☆

Middle school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	55.8	880 of 2335	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2025	43.6	1276 of 2344	45.6%	★★☆☆☆
2024	41.9	1339 of 2372	43.5%	★★☆☆☆
2023	45.6	1193 of 2330	48.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	32.7	1541 of 2254	31.6%	★★☆☆☆
2021	68.3	543 of 2252	75.9%	★★★★☆
2019	61.4	673 of 2193	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2018	63.2	593 of 2080	71.5%	★★★★☆
2017	63.0	597 of 2027	70.5%	★★★★☆
2016	79.7	293 of 1987	85.3%	★★★★☆
2015	59.7	826 of 2043	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2014	87.8	105 of 1987	94.7%	★★★★★
2013	86.1	116 of 1973	94.1%	★★★★★
2012	89.2	84 of 1951	95.7%	★★★★★
2011	49.8	1157 of 1895	38.9%	★★☆☆☆
2010	32.0	1479 of 1803	18.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	29.4	1481 of 1763	16.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2008	33.5	1371 of 1718	20.2%	★☆☆☆☆
2007	59.3	725 of 1684	56.9%	★★★☆☆
2006	72.7	344 of 1585	78.3%	★★★★☆
2005	67.0	484 of 1582	69.4%	★★★☆☆
2004	61.1	648 of 1573	58.8%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	59.7	741 of 2240	66.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	31.7	1571 of 2221	29.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	78.1	322 of 2151	85.0%	★★★★☆
2019	43.4	1136 of 2047	44.5%	★★☆☆☆
2018	61.4	629 of 2008	68.7%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	69.6	410 of 2077	80.3%	★★★★☆
2019	61.2	577 of 1935	70.2%	★★★★☆
2018	59.0	588 of 1895	69.0%	★★★☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	49.5	1039 of 2253	53.9%	★★★☆☆
2022	32.8	1628 of 2220	26.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2021	61.5	621 of 2172	71.4%	★★★★☆
2019	49.6	952 of 2073	54.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.6	616 of 2039	69.8%	★★★☆☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	15.5	2055 of 2246	8.5%	☆☆☆☆☆
2019	70.9	436 of 2069	78.9%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2022	10.1	1663 of 1723	3.5%	☆☆☆☆☆

High school ranking

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	48.1	993 of 2009	50.6%	★★★☆☆
2025	48.6	948 of 1974	52.0%	★★★☆☆
2024	20.4	1616 of 1990	18.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	41.3	1148 of 1961	41.5%	★★☆☆☆
2022	67.4	455 of 1876	75.7%	★★★★☆
2021	53.7	794 of 1861	57.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	58.4	665 of 1857	64.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	60.4	562 of 1797	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2017	57.3	592 of 1777	66.7%	★★★☆☆
2016	56.4	796 of 1762	54.8%	★★★☆☆
2015	76.4	204 of 1743	88.3%	★★★★☆
2014	78.0	181 of 1734	89.6%	★★★★☆
2013	79.6	139 of 1652	91.6%	★★★★★
2012	65.4	410 of 1603	74.4%	★★★★☆
2011	54.2	979 of 1672	41.4%	★★☆☆☆
2010	60.3	738 of 1568	52.9%	★★★☆☆
2009	47.6	1038 of 1539	32.6%	★★☆☆☆
2008	69.5	413 of 1510	72.6%	★★★★☆
2007	76.9	212 of 1497	85.8%	★★★★☆
2006	57.2	727 of 1430	49.2%	★★☆☆☆
2005	56.6	725 of 1429	49.3%	★★☆☆☆
2004	69.3	392 of 1427	72.5%	★★★★☆

At Risk

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2019	49.7	751 of 1810	58.5%	★★★☆☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2023	77.9	217 of 1891	88.5%	★★★★☆
2022	67.6	430 of 1841	76.6%	★★★★☆
2021	38.5	1133 of 1815	37.6%	★★☆☆☆
2019	53.6	805 of 1798	55.2%	★★★☆☆
2018	52.7	783 of 1781	56.0%	★★★☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	20.2	1499 of 1805	17.0%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	40.8	1027 of 1820	43.6%	★★☆☆☆
2022	54.8	636 of 1762	63.9%	★★★☆☆
2021	97.9	3 of 1743	99.8%	★★★★★
2018	36.7	1070 of 1691	36.7%	★★☆☆☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2024	14.5	1688 of 1884	10.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	34.8	1252 of 1897	34.0%	★★☆☆☆
2022	59.2	501 of 1847	72.9%	★★★★☆
2021	57.8	596 of 1848	67.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	51.6	749 of 1818	58.8%	★★★☆☆
2018	62.9	411 of 1794	77.1%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	17.4	1645 of 1954	15.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	32.3	1285 of 1913	32.8%	★★☆☆☆
2022	76.0	264 of 1853	85.8%	★★★★☆
2021	89.3	74 of 1840	96.0%	★★★★★
2018	70.4	355 of 1803	80.3%	★★★★☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	Texas percentile	Rating
2026	15.8	1382 of 1584	12.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2023	23.1	1272 of 1576	19.3%	★☆☆☆☆
2022	36.8	1008 of 1525	33.9%	★★☆☆☆
2021	28.1	1166 of 1510	22.8%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	28.0	1196 of 1526	21.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2018	96.7	1 of 1539	99.9%	★★★★★

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)

Elementary school

Male (2026)69th percentile+16 vs school

At Risk (2019)66th percentile+30 vs school

Female (2024)57th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2024)47th percentile-10 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)26th percentile-26 vs school

White (2022)21st percentile-34 vs school

Middle school

Hispanic (2022)80th percentile+49 vs school

Female (2026)67th percentile+5 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2026)54th percentile-8 vs school

Male (2024)9th percentile-35 vs school

White (2022)3rd percentile-28 vs school

High school

Female (2023)89th percentile+47 vs school

At Risk (2019)59th percentile-6 vs school

Hispanic (2024)17th percentile~ school

Male (2026)16th percentile-35 vs school

White (2026)13th percentile-38 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2024)10th percentile-8 vs school

By subject vs Texas (2025-2026) ?

English II Reading67%+7 vs state

Social Studies62%+31 vs state

U.S. History56%-15 vs state

Reading49%-6 vs state

Mathematics43%~ state avg

★

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Schools Near Cotton Center School

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Ranking:

E Elementary M Middle H High A Alternative P Private

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking ()				Ranking ()				STAAR EOC Algebra I (2026)	STAAR EOC Biology (2026)	STAAR EOC English I Reading (2026)	STAAR EOC English II Reading (2026)	STAAR EOC U.S. History (2026)	STAAR Reading (2026)						STAAR Mathematics (2026)						STAAR Social Studies (2026)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2024)
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 ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	SchoolDigger Rating ()	Average Standard Score ()	Statewide Rank ()	State Percentile ()	Rank Change from Previous Year	STAAR EOC Algebra I End of Course	STAAR EOC Biology End of Course	STAAR EOC English I Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC English II Reading End of Course	STAAR EOC U.S. History End of Course	STAAR Reading 3rd Grade	STAAR Reading 4th Grade	STAAR Reading 5th Grade	STAAR Reading 6th Grade	STAAR Reading 7th Grade	STAAR Reading 8th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 3rd Grade	STAAR Mathematics 4th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 5th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 6th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 7th Grade	STAAR Mathematics 8th Grade	STAAR Social Studies 8th Grade	Total
Cotton Center School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	2345 Fm 179	Cotton Center	79021	Hale County	Cotton Center Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(806) 810-7410	100	17	5.8	62.0%	42 (42.0%)	1 (1.0%)	52 (52.0%)	3 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	2 (2.0%)								(n/a)				66.7	55.6	42.9	14.3	63.6	42.9	36.4	87.5	57.1	14.3	63.6	42.9	18.2	62.5	62.5	$15,423
Anton School	Public, Alternative	PK, KG-12	100 E Ellwood Blvd	Anton	79313	Hockley County	Anton Independent School District (Isd)	No	No	(n/a)	Yes	(806) 997-5211	175	19	9.4	65.7%	40 (22.9%)	4 (2.3%)	125 (71.4%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	5 (2.9%)								(n/a)	35.7	33.3	54.6	46.2	62.5	33.3	8.3	33.3	30.0	22.2	18.2	8.3	16.7	11.1	10.0	11.1	9.1	9.1	$12,235
Plainview Classical Academy	Public, Charter, Alternative	K-12	310 S Ennis St	Plainview	75029	Denton County	Texas College Preparatory Academies	Yes	(n/a)	(n/a)	(n/a)	(972) 316-3663	262	15	17.6	44.7%	134 (51.1%)	8 (3.1%)	108 (41.2%)	5 (1.9%)	2 (0.8%)	2 (0.8%)	3 (1.1%)								(n/a)	75.0	94.1	81.3	53.9	50.0	54.6	64.9	61.1	71.4	65.8	58.3	50.0	67.6	37.8	52.4	57.9	58.3	25.0	$8,948

Frequently Asked Questions about Cotton Center School

What district is Cotton Center School in?

Cotton Center Independent School District (Isd)

How many students attend Cotton Center School?

In the 2024-25 school year, 100 students attended Cotton Center School.

Is Cotton Center School a good school?

Cotton Center School ranks 2199^th of 4627 Texas alternative schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What is the racial makeup of Cotton Center School?

Students at Cotton Center School are 52% Hispanic, 42% White, 3% Asian, 2% Two or more races.

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Schools in Cotton Center, TX

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Latest Texas data All new data »

2025–26 STAAR, STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 12, 2026

2021–22 through 2023–24 school spending dataJan 10, 2026

2023–24 dropout rates & graduation ratesSep 17, 2025

2024–25 STAAR EOC & STAAR Spanish test scoresJun 23, 2025

SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the Texas Education Agency.

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.