Cottonwood Elementary

Cottonwood Elementary is a sprawling K-5 school in Casper, Wyoming, overseen by Natrona County School District #1. The school hosts 347 students in grades pre-K through 5. Enrollment runs roughly 61% larger than the state mean of about 216.

Natrona County School District #1 runs 27 schools in total, collectively educating 12,352 students. Cottonwood Elementary is one of those campuses.

Demographically, Cottonwood Elementary reports that White students make up the majority at 75%; the rest is composed of 16% Hispanic, 7% multiracial. The wider county runs roughly 89% White, putting the school's mix considerably less White than the area baseline.

In terms of school funding signals, Cottonwood Elementary logs 29 full-time-equivalent teachers, putting the student-to-teacher ratio at about 12.0:1. The state averages around 10.6:1, so this campus is higher than the state norm typical. Around 67% of the student body qualifies for free or reduced-price meals, a commonly cited indicator of low-income enrollment. Set against Natrona County (around 46%), the school's rate is somewhat above typical.

Zooming out to the county, census data for Natrona County shows the typical household earns roughly $72,156 per year, 28% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and roughly 7% of residents live below the federal poverty line. Cottonwood Elementary is one of 29 public schools in Natrona County (combined enrollment of about 12,650 students).

The closest other public school is Dean Morgan Middle School, roughly 0.5 miles away. 8 of the 8 nearest public schools sit inside a five-mile radius.

Cottonwood Elementary operates from a city-core location.

Trend over the last 7 years. Looking back 7 years, enrollment at Cottonwood Elementary has declined 3%, going from 356 students in 2018 to 347 in 2025. Over the same period, the White share edged down from 79% to 75%. Class-load math has fell: from 14.1:1 in 2018 to 12.0:1 in 2025.

In the discussion threads here, recent activity here tends to focus on pickup logistics, teacher feedback, and after-school programs. Parents, students, alumni, and staff are welcome to weigh in.