Blackwater Community School

3652 Blackwater School Rd
Coolidge, AZ 85128

bwcs.k12.az.us/

289 Students

Elementary School K - 5th

School Overview

Blackwater Community School is a grant-funded school located in Coolidge, Arizona, that serves the Gila River Indian Community. The school is deeply committed to providing an education that balances high academic standards with the preservation and celebration of O’odham culture and language. By integrating traditional values into their modern curriculum, the school aims to cultivate a sense of identity and pride in their students, ensuring that they remain connected to their heritage while gaining the skills necessary for future success.

The school is noted for its holistic approach to student development, emphasizing not just core subjects like reading and math, but also the social, emotional, and physical well-being of the child. With a focus on community involvement and parental partnership, Blackwater Community School creates a supportive learning environment designed to empower Native American students. Through various programs and small class sizes, the faculty strives to meet the unique needs of every learner, fostering an atmosphere where students are encouraged to reach their full potential within a culturally rich educational framework.

289

Total Students

54.0

Full-Time Teachers

5.4

Student/Teacher Ratio

93.8%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Blackwater Community School
Demographic	Student Count
American Indian	289

American Indian
289 (100.0 %)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	Elementary School
School Type:	Regular School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Blackwater Community School
Phone:	(520)215-5859
Website:	http://bwcs.k12.az.us/
Grade Range:	K - 5th
Total Students:	289
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	54.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	5.4
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes participating without using any Provision or the CEO
Qualified Free Lunch:	271
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Kindergarten 56

Grade 1 47

Grade 2 51

Grade 3 46

Grade 4 54

Grade 5 35