Evergreen Institute of Excellence

Evergreen Institute of Excellence is a very small K-12 campus in Cottonwood, California, part of Evergreen Union. The school serves 184 students in grades K through 12. Enrollment runs roughly 69% smaller than the state mean of about 602.

Across the 6 schools in Evergreen Union (1,231 students total), Evergreen Institute of Excellence accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

Looking at the student body, Evergreen Institute of Excellence lists that 71% of the student body identifies as White; the rest comes out to 17% Hispanic, 9% multiracial, 2% Native American.

On the resource side, Evergreen Institute of Excellence logs 12 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 15.3:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 18.6:1, putting Evergreen Institute of Excellence tighter than the state norm the norm. Around 57% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. By comparison, Tehama County runs at roughly 72%, so the school's eligibility rate is lower than the surrounding baseline.

With demographic context factored in, Evergreen Institute of Excellence is in the bottom 10% of California public schools. The BeatsExpectations model predicts schools with this FRL share to land around 45.5%; Evergreen Institute of Excellence posts 24.8%, -20.7 points below that line.

In the area at large, the surrounding county (Tehama County) reports that median household earnings sit near $63,784, roughly 19% of adults have completed at least a four-year degree, and roughly 10% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Evergreen Institute of Excellence is one of 41 public schools in Tehama County (combined enrollment of about 10,948 students).

The closest other public school is Evergreen Community Day School (K-5), roughly 0.0 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools. Ranking that nearby cluster on reported proficiency puts Evergreen Institute of Excellence at 6th of 6; the average score across the group is 43.1%.

The school occupies a small-town site. Evergreen Institute of Excellence is a charter school, which puts it inside the public-school system but outside the standard district-managed model.

Trend over the last 7 years. Over the past 7-year window, the student count climbed 80%: 102 students in 2018 compared to 184 in 2025.

Inside the community feed, the page collects discussion, questions, and updates around classroom updates, athletics, and weather closures. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.