The Cottonwood School
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Phone: (530) 285-2003
GreatSchools Rating
charter • Grades KG,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 • 3563 students
The Cottonwood School, a charter school located in El Dorado Hills, CA, serves grades K-12 in the Buckeye Union Elementary School District.It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 6 out of 10, based on a variety of school quality measures.
The Cottonwood School is a charter school located in El Dorado Hills, CA. 3563 students attend The Cottonwood School.
School Ratings
| Category | Rating | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Test Scores | 7/10 | The Test Score Rating examines how students at this school performed on standardized tests compared with other schools in the state. The Test Rating was created using 2025 California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) data from California Department of Education, and using 2025 California Science Test data from California Department of Education. |
| College Readiness | 5/10 | The College Readiness Rating uses this high school's graduation rates, college entrance exam participation and performance, or AP, IB, or Dual Enrollment participation to determine how well schools are preparing students for success in college and beyond. The College Readiness Rating was created using 2019 SAT percent college ready data from California Department of Education, using 2019 Average ACT score data from California Department of Education, using 2019 ACT percent college ready data from California Department of Education, using the following data from the 2021 Civil Rights Data Collection: percentage of students enrolled in IB, AP or Dual Enrollment classes in grades 9-12, using 2025 4-year high school graduation rate data from California Department of Education, using 2025 Percent of students who meet UC/CSU entrance requirements data from California Department of Education, and using 2025 demographic data from California Department of Education. |
| Student Growth | 7/10 | The Student Progress Rating measures whether students at this school are making academic progress over time based on student growth data provided by the Department of Education. Specifically, this rating looks at how much progress individual students have made on state assessments during the past year or more, how this performance aligns with expected progress based on a student growth model established by the state Department of Education, and how this school's growth data compares to other schools in the state. The Growth Rating was created using 2025 Student growth data from California Department of Education. |
Posted: June 10, 2026
Posted: June 10, 2026
Posted: June 10, 2026
Posted: June 10, 2026
Posted: June 10, 2026
Posted: June 10, 2026
Posted: June 10, 2026
Posted: June 10, 2026
There are some great things about this school, such as some wonderful teachers. Overall, it's never felt like a "community" for my kids or myself. Administration is very defensive and frequently unhelpful.
Posted: December 17, 2024
As a Montessori School Educator and a mom of three children, my children were Montessori-educated from kindergarten to eighth grade. At the time of my first daughter's 8th-grade graduation from The California Montessori Project, I had concerns about how she would adjust to public school. However, I did not have a choice. She stated that adapting to these new surroundings was hard and often didn't want to go to school. It was heartbreaking to see her so upset. She was just one person in class, but the teachers didn't have time to help her. They had too many students coming through their class to provide the guidance that she needed.
My second daughter entered her freshman year under COVID/ Zoom in the Public school three years later. She struggled and was about to fail her freshman year when I happened to find out through a friend about the Cottonwood College Prep Academy, which was Montessori-Inspired in El Dorado Hills. I was beyond excited to take a chance. For my daughter's sophomore year, I transferred her from the public school system to CCPA. My daughter was extremely shy, but with all the one-on-one help and support from all the teachers, she never had a chance to fall through the cracks. She was able to stay after school and get the support she needed.
My daughter received the Golden State Seal Merit Diploma upon graduation. She has overcome her shyness and grown into a self-sufficient adult working in retail while pursuing her college degree in nursing. I owe the CCPA teachers and staff all the credit. Principal, Dr. Jodiann Beeson and Board President, Dr. Norman Lorenz developed this idea that students need to experience Montessori-style learning in High School. I urge you to experience it for yourself by taking a tour!
Posted: December 17, 2024
Posted: December 17, 2024
Posted: December 17, 2024
Posted: December 17, 2024
Posted: December 17, 2024
Posted: December 17, 2024
Posted: December 17, 2024
Reviews provided by GreatSchools™
| Base | Distance |
|---|---|
| Coast Guard Sacramento | 17.7 mi. |
| Beale AFB | 37.8 mi. |
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