COTTON CENTER SCHOOL

Located at 2345 FM 179, in COTTON CENTER, Texas, COTTON CENTER SCHOOL is an one-room-style K-12 campus that works with 100 students (grades pre-K through 12), one of the schools within COTTON CENTER ISD. Compared to the state average of about 485 students per school, that is 79% smaller than typical.

Operationally, COTTON CENTER SCHOOL answers to COTTON CENTER ISD, which sets policy, hires staff, and reports enrollment to the state.

Looking at the student body, COTTON CENTER SCHOOL shows that the largest single group is Hispanic at 52%, but no single group is in the majority. The remainder consists of 42% White, 3% Asian, 2% multiracial. That is noticeably less Hispanic than the county at large, where the share is closer to 61%.

On the resource side, The school currently runs with 17 full-time-equivalent teachers, for a student-teacher ratio near 5.9:1. Statewide, the average ratio sits near 11.7:1, putting COTTON CENTER SCHOOL tighter than the state norm the norm. Roughly 62% of students at COTTON CENTER SCHOOL qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, a number frequently used as a low-income enrollment indicator. That share is noticeably below Hale County's rate of about 73%.

Adjusting for the school's free-and-reduced-lunch share, COTTON CENTER SCHOOL sits in the middle band of the BeatsExpectations distribution. Schools with this campus's student mix typically land near 46.8%; this one delivers 37.5%.

In the broader community, the surrounding county (Hale County) records that median household income runs about $51,897, 15% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and the poverty rate sits near 16%. In all, Hale County runs 24 public schools (combined enrollment of about 6,064 students), of which COTTON CENTER SCHOOL is one.

HALE CENTER H S is the nearest neighboring public school, about 9.3 miles from this campus. Within ten miles, there are 3 other public schools, a sparser pattern than typical urban areas. Among the 9 schools in that immediate cluster with test data (this one included), COTTON CENTER SCHOOL ranks 5th on composite proficiency, below the local average of 41.9%.

The school occupies a small-town site.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at COTTON CENTER SCHOOL has contracted 15%, going from 117 students in 2018 to 100 in 2025. The Hispanic share of enrollment contracted from 58% to 52% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio narrowed from 7.8:1 in 2018 to 5.9:1 today.

On this page, members of the COTTON CENTER SCHOOL community share and discuss enrollment questions, classroom assignments, and PTA news. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.