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Charter high school · Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County · Sanford, North Carolina

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County rates 5.9, right at the middle of Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County's high schools, whose rated median is 5.9.

High schools, 1 to 10This campus against public high schools around it that are rated on verified state test data.
5.9this school

5.9 on a one-to-ten scale; the Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County median is 5.9.

#1,664 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina · Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County: 1 high schools rated, median 5.9

The brief

A charter high school in Sanford, NC where students score 68 points above what's typical for similar communities.

It ranks 1,664 of 2,660 schools in North Carolina and 1 of 1 in Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County.

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County is a charter school: it enrolls by application rather than by address, so check its enrollment process directly before choosing a neighborhood for it.

Math69%12 points above the North Carolina average of 57%2026 NC
Reading67%11 points above the North Carolina average of 56%2026 NC
In 2026, 69% of students were proficient in math and 67% in reading, against North Carolina averages of 57% and 56%.2026 NC; 42 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

What the rating is made of, each out of 10

Student Progress
6.1
25% of the rating
Academics
8.1
25% of the rating
College Readiness
3.7
30% of the rating
Resources & Environment
6.4
20% of the rating
About this school's data1 correction under review · rating: low confidence · 7 sources, 2019–2026

Every number on this page comes from a published source with a stated period. Where a source is partial, aging, an estimate, or describes a surrounding area rather than the school, that limitation is named here.

Attendance data is under correction. This existing Resources & Environment score and overall rating may still reflect an unverified attendance input.

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 53% (multi-year average, 2018-2026) · reading/ELA 58% (multi-year average, 2018-2026).

School directory (enrollment, grades, staff, contact)
NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) · SY 2023–24 · Medium confidence
  • Source period: SY 2023–24. A newer release may be available.
MySchoolScout rating and rank
MySchoolScout ranking model · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Derived as a weighted blend of the component scores shown in Academics from state assessment, EdFacts growth, and NCES resource records.
Math proficiency
State department of education · 2026 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Reading/ELA proficiency
State department of education · 2026 NC · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived from source records rather than read directly from one field.
Student progress (growth)
State assessments · Mixed source periods · Low confidence
  • Vintage not available. Do not use this measure alone.
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Derived as the fitted year-over-year slope of proficiency from multi-year assessment records.
Neighborhood (income, housing, education)
U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates · Low confidence
  • Older source: ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates. Use as historical context.
  • Reported for the ZCTA for ZIP 27332; this does not measure the attendance area.
Programs (AP/IB, athletics, gifted)
CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22 · Medium confidence
  • Available for part of the eligible units; results may not represent the full area.
  • Source period: SY 2021–22. A newer release may be available.

Evidence periods: Rating mixed/unknown input periods; assessments multi-year average, 2018-2026; directory SY 2023–24

The neighborhood

Where it sits, and what the area looks like.
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County and the 20 nearest high schools, each pin colored by its score.Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries. Verify the enrollment path with the district.

The area

Median income
$73,075
Median home value
$224,000
Median rent
$1,086/mo
College educated
22.9%
Homeownership
74.7%
Poverty rate
9.5%

U.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates · ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27332; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Getting around

Walk Score
12
Car-Dependent
Bike Score
25
Somewhat Bikeable

Walk, transit and bike scores byWalk Score

Programs and who goes here

What the campus offers, and who it enrolls.

Programs

AP and IB
1 AP course
2.3% participation · state average 3 AP courses · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics
6 sports
3 boys' · 3 girls' · 6 teams (incl. JV) · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM courses
2 of 5
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics · CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Grade-compatible schools using the same rating model.
Public-school ratings. Grade-compatible schools within 5 miles, best rated first.
  1. 6.7Compare →
  2. Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee Countythis school
    5.9
  3. 5.4Compare →
  4. 4.5Compare →
  5. 2.8Compare →
Four grade-compatible schools using the same rating model sit within 5 miles, and one rates higher than Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County.Public-school ratings. Straight-line distance from this campus. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries; verify the enrollment path with the district.

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

Enrollment path unverified: Potential public school; its attendance or application path has not been classified.

The record

What is on file, and where each number came from.

Questions families ask

What grades does Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County serve?

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County serves students in grades 6th through 12th.

How many students attend Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County?

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County has an enrollment of approximately 599 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County?

The student-teacher ratio at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County is 14.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County rank in NC?

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County ranks #1,664 of 2,660 schools in NC.

What is Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County's MySchoolScout rating?

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County has a current MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 out of 10. This score combines the level-appropriate components shown in the rating breakdown; equity data is shown separately for context.

What are the test scores at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County has 53% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2018-2026) and 58% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2018-2026).

Is Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County a charter school?

Yes, Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County is a charter school. Charter schools are publicly funded but independently operated, often with more flexibility in curriculum and teaching methods.

Is Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County a Title I school?

No, Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County is not currently a Title I school.

School facts

Grades
6th – 12th
Enrollment
599
Student-teacher ratio
14.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
41
Type
Regular
Title I
No
Setting
Distant Town
County
Lee County
4-year graduation
70–79%
Class of 2023
Rank in district
#1 of 1
Schools in district
1
District spending per student
$8,991
NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
Not available
The source release did not match this district identifier.
Area population (ZIP 27332)
34,378
Area average commute
29.5 min
Area median age
40

NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24).

Related reading

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.