Public schools in Cottonwood, AZ
15 open public schools with an address in Cottonwood, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
15
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
3,165
14 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
20.7:1
Arizona median 16.7:1
Charter schools
3
2 virtual
An overview of Cottonwood public schools
The federal directory lists 15 public schools in Cottonwood, AZ: 5 elementary, 7 high, 3 combined or other. The 14 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 3,165 students, an average of 226 per school. The largest campus is Mingus Union High School (1,165 students), and the largest elementary school is Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School (585).
Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) operates the most schools here (5), and 2 regular districts have at least one Cottonwood campus, plus 3 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 20.7:1, higher than the statewide school median of 16.7:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 3 charter schools, 2 virtual schools. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 4 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 1 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 1 of 4 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
School districts and agencies serving Cottonwood
Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487)
Public school district
5 schools in Cottonwood · 6 total
Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (79397)
Specialized public school district
4 schools in Cottonwood · 7 total
Mingus Union High School District (4488)
Public school district
3 schools in Cottonwood
Edkey Inc. dba American Heritage Academy (6365)
Independent charter agency
2 schools in Cottonwood
Liberty Leadership Academy (1001520)
Independent charter agency
1 school in Cottonwood
Elementary schools in Cottonwood
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Heritage Academy - Camp Verde Edkey Inc. dba American Heritage Academy (6365) · Charter | KG–08 | 107 | 10.7:1 | |
| Cottonwood Community School Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) | KG–08 | 430 | 23.9:1 | |
| Dr Daniel Bright Elementary School Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) | PK–08 | 585 | 18.3:1 | |
| Liberty Leadership Academy Liberty Leadership Academy (1001520) · Charter | KG–08 | 81 | 27:1 | |
| Mountain View Preparatory School Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) | KG–08 | 426 | 21.8:1 |
High schools in Cottonwood
7| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mingus Online Academy Mingus Union High School District (4488) · Virtual | 08–12 | 37 | — | |
| Mingus Union High School Mingus Union High School District (4488) | 09–12 | 1,165 | 20.7:1 | |
| The Academy At Mingus Mingus Union High School District (4488) | 09–12 | — | — | |
| VACTE - Clarkdale Jerome School District Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (79397) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| VACTE - Cottonwood-Oak Creek Unified School District Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (79397) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 0 | — | |
| VACTE - Mingus Union High School Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (79397) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 1 | — | |
| VACTE - Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (79397) · Career and Technical School | 09–12 | 7 | 1.5:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Cottonwood
3| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Heritage Academy - Cottonwood Edkey Inc. dba American Heritage Academy (6365) · Charter | KG–12 | 240 | 14.1:1 | |
| Arizona iZone Institute Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) · Virtual | KG–12 | 0 | — | |
| Cottonwood Education Services Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) | PK–12 | 86 | 24.6:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White48.1%
- Hispanic44.5%
- Black0.7%
- Asian0.9%
- American Indian / Alaska Native2.5%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.1%
- Multiracial3.2%
Enrollment-weighted across 11 Cottonwood schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (3,165 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Cottonwood
How many public schools are in Cottonwood, AZ?
The current NCES directory lists 15 open public schools with a location address in Cottonwood: 5 elementary, 7 high, 3 combined or other. Together they reported 3,165 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Cottonwood?
Schools with an address in Cottonwood belong to 5 education agencies, led by Cottonwood-Oak Creek Elementary District (4487) (5 schools), Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education (79397) (4 schools), Mingus Union High School District (4488) (3 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Cottonwood?
Mingus Union High School reported the largest high-school enrollment in Cottonwood, with 1,165 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Cottonwood?
Yes. 3 of the 15 public schools in Cottonwood are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including American Heritage Academy - Camp Verde, American Heritage Academy - Cottonwood, Liberty Leadership Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Cottonwood schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Cottonwood public schools is 20.7:1, higher than the Arizona school median of 16.7:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Cottonwood guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby Arizona cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All Arizona cities