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6.1avg / 10

Lee County Schools School District

School District · Sanford, North Carolina

Students: 9,051
Teachers (FTE): 647

Avg Rating

6.1

out of 10

Schools

16

8 elem, 3 mid, 4 high

Enrollment

9,051

Student-Teacher Ratio

14:1

How this district compares

North Carolina rank

#69 of 116

districts by avg. composite

Vs. state average

-0.2

below North Carolina avg

Per-pupil spending

$13,241

+$129 vs North Carolina median

District size

9,051 students

Larger than North Carolina median

The short answer

Lee County Schools ranks #69 of 116 North Carolina districts by overall school rating. Lee County Schools's schools with real test data average 6.1/10 across 16 schools. Its top-rated schools are Tramway Elementary (8.8/10), Sanlee Middle School (7.7/10), and Greenwood Elementary (6.9/10). Schools with estimated (proxy) scores are excluded from this ranking.

Best value · beats the odds
Tramway Elementary

Rates 8.8/10 despite 46% of students being economically disadvantaged. That's about 1.8 points higher than its student-poverty level predicts. Roughly as clean a case of strong results without an affluent-ZIP price tag as you'll find among Lee County Schools schools.

Most improved · 2022 → 2024
Tramway Elementary

STAAR proficiency rose +13.2 points from 2022 to 2024. That's the biggest jump among Lee County Schools schools across the two most recent comparable testing years.

Top-Rated Schools in Lee County Schools

Ranked by MySchoolScout composite rating using only schools with real test data (16 of 16). "Value" = points above what student poverty predicts. Estimated (proxy) scores are excluded.

#SchoolRating
1Tramway Elementary8.8 / 10
2Sanlee Middle School7.7 / 10
3Greenwood Elementary6.9 / 10
4J Glenn Edwards Elementary6.9 / 10
5Southern Lee High School6.7 / 10
6Broadway Elementary6.7 / 10
7J R Ingram JR Elementary6.7 / 10
8Bt Bullock Elementary6.6 / 10
9Lee Early College6.3 / 10
10West Lee Middle6.1 / 10

See all 16 schools — including those with estimated data — in the full directory below. How we rate schools.

About Lee County Schools

Lee County Schools is a Sanford, North Carolina school district serving 16 schools.The district educates 9,051 students with a student-teacher ratio of 14:1. District-level spending was $13,241 per student in fiscal year 2023 (NCES F-33).

With an average rating of 6.1/10, Lee County Schools demonstrates solid academic performance.

The highest-rated school in the district is Tramway Elementary, which has a composite score of 8.8/10.

In standardized testing, Lee County Schools students show an average math proficiency of 50.4% and ELA proficiency of 44.7%.

The district includes 8 elementary schools, 3 middle schools, and 4 high schools.

District Map

Schools in Lee County Schools, colored by MySchoolScout rank. Click a pin for details.

District Average Test Scores

Math Proficiency50.4%
School
State
Not reported
ELA Proficiency44.7%
School
State
Not reported

Average proficiency across all schools in Lee County Schools with test data.

District Details

State
North Carolina
City
Sanford
Total Enrollment
9,051
Teachers (FTE)
647
District spending per student
$13,241NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
Child poverty rate
18.2%Census SAIPE · 2024
District directory year
2023

Frequently Asked Questions

How many schools are in Lee County Schools?

Lee County Schools has 16 schools in total — 8 elementary, 3 middle, and 4 high schools. You can explore each school's ratings and details on this page.

What is the average rating for Lee County Schools?

The average composite rating for Lee County Schools is 6.1/10. This score is calculated from the individual ratings of all schools with academic data in the district.

What is the district spending per student in Lee County Schools?

Lee County Schools's district-level spending was $13,241 per student in fiscal year 2023, according to NCES F-33. This is district context, not an individual-school expense.

What is the student-teacher ratio in Lee County Schools?

The average student-teacher ratio in Lee County Schools is 14:1.

What is the top-rated school in Lee County Schools?

Tramway Elementary is the highest-rated school in Lee County Schools with a composite score of 8.8/10.

What are the test scores in Lee County Schools?

Across schools in Lee County Schools with test data, the average math proficiency is 50.4% and the average ELA (reading/writing) proficiency is 44.7%. These figures represent the percentage of students meeting or exceeding grade-level standards.

How does Lee County Schools compare to other districts in North Carolina?

Lee County Schools has an average school rating of 6.1/10 across 16 schools. Families can compare this to other districts in North Carolina by visiting individual district pages. Factors like school size, available programs, and community demographics also play a role in choosing the right fit.

How does MySchoolScout rate schools?

MySchoolScout ratings blend student growth, poverty-adjusted academic performance, and learning environment — plus college readiness for high schools. Weights vary by school level, and equity data is shown for context without being factored into the score. Learn more about our rating system on our methodology page.

District Averages

Overall Rating
6.1/10
Math Proficiency
50.4%
ELA Proficiency
44.7%

How we rate schools

A clear 1–10 score built from public data — growth, academics, and learning environment. No hidden criteria, no pay-to-play.

See how we rate

Other School Districts in NC

Compare Lee County Schools with neighboring districts in the state.

See all districts in NC →

Data from NCES Common Core of Data, North Carolina Dept. of Education, and U.S. Census ACS for the 2023–24 school year. Rankings computed by MySchoolScout. See all data sources.

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