Cottonwood Day School (Top Ranked Private School for 2026)

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Quick Facts (2026)

Top Ranked MT School
School Type: Special Education School
Grades: 1-12
Yearly Tuition: $11,800
Average class size: 8 students
Application Deadline: None / Rolling
Source: ✓Verified school update

School Rankings

Cottonwood Day School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Montana for:

School Facts

School Type

Special Education School

Religious Affiliation

Nonsectarian

Grades Offered

Grades 1-12

ADD/ADHD Support

Yes

Learning Difference Programs

Yes

Learning Programs Supported

Language and Literacy/ Learning Challenges

Year Founded

2014

School Calendar

View School Calendar

Student Body

Student Body Type

Co-ed

Academics & Faculty

Total Classroom Teachers

5 teachers

% Faculty w/Advanced Degree

100%

Average Class Size

8 students

Classroom Dress Code

Casual

Tuition & Acceptance Rate

Admission Deadline

None / Rolling

Yearly Tuition Cost

$11,800

View national tuition avg.

Tuition Notes

Tuition can be paid monthly, quarterly, by semester, or in full. We do offer scholarship/financial aids funding.

Admissions Director

Michelle Bjelland

Application URL

Online Application

School Notes

Cottonwood Day School in Bozeman, MT is a private, non-profit school for students with learning disabilities.
We have a rolling enrollment and a modified extended school year to meet the needs of all of our students. Our program can be easily accessed remotely, enabling students in remote areas and out of state to access our program.

Students with learning disabilities need a specific learning approach to achieve academic success. Cottonwood Day School provides a unique and exceptional learning environment to students with learning disabilities. Cottonwood Day school`s specialized approach to instruction takes into consideration that each student`s learning style is unique. Our comprehensive team of reading, elementary, special education teachers, occupational therapists, and speech and language therapists work collaboratively to ensure that the goals and objectives of each child`s learning plan are met. Students with language based disabilities like dyslexia typically have difficulty with word recognition, decoding and spelling. These fundamental difficulties impact reading comprehension. Research indicates that scaffolded, multisensory programs are successful in teaching students with dyslexia the fundamentals of language and reading. At Cottonwood Day School, we integrate a multisensory approach across all content area subjects. Incorporating these approaches involves presenting new material and reviewing previously learned material using visual, auditory and kinesthetic methods. Not every child encodes information the same way, some are more visual, some more auditory and others are kinesthetic learners. Encoding and processing language are essential components of learning to read. Providing a multisensory approach ensures that each child is learning presented material in a way that makes sense to that child as a learner and a reader. Learning academic content this way ensures retention of presented information. Our language arts program incoporates the Orton Gillingham method and Lindamood-Bell programs. The foundation for Cottonwood Day School's math program is a multisensory math program. For more information on our program please see our website; www.cottonwooddayschool.org.

Source: Verified school update

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Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Cottonwood Day School cost?

Cottonwood Day School's tuition is approximately $11,800 for private students.

What is Cottonwood Day School's ranking?

Cottonwood Day School ranks among the top 20% of private schools in Montana for: Highest percentage of faculty with advanced degrees.

When is the application deadline for Cottonwood Day School?

The application deadline for Cottonwood Day School is rolling (applications are reviewed as they are received year-round).

School Reviews

5.00 out of 5 (2 reviews)

5 1/16/2021

Cottonwood has been invaluable to me. One of the many lessons that Cottonwood has taught me is to stand up tall and be proud of who I am. I've made many friends over the past school year that I hope to have forever. My teachers have made me rise like a balloon over my challenges. Not only have they taught me academics and speech therapy, they are also part of my family.Just like you; I hope to help people in need. I think it is important to give back to the community. Before I went to Cottonwood, I did not like school that much and I did not have many friends. Also, I was not as active outside of school. Now that I have joined the Cottonwood community, I feel like a new person. I am skiing during the week and taking a few classes at the high school. With your help and Cottonwood's commitment, I can do anything that makes me feel like me. I am much a happier person going to this school and that allows me to communicate, socialize, and bond with people.If I can keep up my hard work, I can help homeless people that are in need of food, water, and support. This is one of my ideas to aid people in the future. I also like to work with old people and kids.Again I just want to say thank you for giving me a great Opportunity to learn and grow. You have given me faith in myself by supporting me and giving me a great education.

- Posted by Student/Alumni - Student

5 1/16/2021

Thank you for all of your support in letting me go to Cottonwood Day School. My future has never looked so good.Cottonwood has been invaluable to me. One of the many lessons that Cottonwood has taught me is to stand up tall and be proud of who I am. I've made many friends over the past school year that I hope to have forever. My teachers have made me rise like a balloon over my challenges. Not only have they taught me academics and speech therapy, they are also part of my family.Just like you, I hope to help people in need. I think it is important to give back to the community. Before I went to Cottonwood, I did not like school that much and I did not have many friends. Also, I was not as active outside of school. Now that I have joined the Cottonwood community, I feel like a new person. I am skiing during the week and taking a few classes at the high school. With your help and Cottonwood's commitment, I can do anything that makes me feel like me. I am much a happier person going to this school and that allows me to communicate, socialize, and bond with people.If I can keep up my hard work, I can help homeless people that are in need of food, water, and support. This is one of my ideas to aid people in the future. I also like to work with old people and kids.Again I just want to say thank you for giving me a great Opportunity to learn and grow. You have given me faith in myself by supporting me and giving me a great education.

- Posted by Student/Alumni - 8th grader

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Did You Know?

The average private school tuition in Bozeman, MT is $10,398 for elementary schools and $12,161 for high schools (read more about average private school tuition across the country).