Cottonwood Elementary

Cottonwood Elementary is a primary school of moderately sized scale in Kennewick, Washington, overseen by Kennewick School District, instructing 474 students in grades K through 5. Compared to the state average of about 380 students per school, that is 25% above typical.

Across the 31 schools in Kennewick School District (18,826 students total), Cottonwood Elementary accounts for its share of the district's footprint.

On the student-mix side, Cottonwood Elementary lists that 75% of the student body identifies as White. The remainder consists of 18% Hispanic, 4% multiracial.

Looking at the economic backdrop, Cottonwood Elementary lists 28 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 16.9:1. That tracks the state average closely. An estimated 21% of students are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, often used as a Title I proxy. That share is below Benton County's rate of about 49%.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Benton County shows the typical household earns roughly $89,874 per year, 33% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 8% of residents live below the federal poverty line. In all, Benton County runs 69 public schools (combined enrollment of about 38,191 students), of which Cottonwood Elementary is one.

The closest other public school is Desert Hills Middle School, roughly 1.1 miles away. Within five miles, there are 8 other public schools.

The school occupies a bedroom-community site.

Looking at the recent track record. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Cottonwood Elementary has fell 37%, going from 754 students in 2018 to 474 in 2025. The White share of enrollment edged down from 85% to 75% over that span. The student-to-teacher ratio pulled in from 22.2:1 in 2018 to 16.9:1 today.

On the community side, recent activity here tends to focus on science fair prep, picture-day reminders, and bus-route questions. Contributors range from current parents to recent graduates and teachers.