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Below Average

#2265 of 2,648 schools in NC

East Lee Middle

Middle School · Lee County Schools · Sanford, NC

A Lee County Schools middle school where students score 18 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1337 Broadway Rd, Sanford, NC 27330

  • Math 36% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • Reading 36% vs NC 53% (2025)
  • 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio

Academics

Full Profile · 3/3 metrics
Student Progress3.0Needs Improvement40%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data15
Annual Change-2.35 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics3.3Needs Improvement35%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency36% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency36% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg-21.2 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-16.2 pts
Overall Proficiency36% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)54% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-17.7 pts
Adjusted Percentile14th
Resources & Environment7.9Very Good25%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio13.6:1
District spending per student$13,241
Chronic Absenteeism31.9%

Students at East Lee Middle score 36% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 54%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency36%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency36%(2025 NC)
School
State
53%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 7 points since 2020, reaching 36% in 2025.

Show all 15 years
2009
Math
80%
ELA
68%
2010
Math
79%
ELA
68%
2011
Math
75%
ELA
61%
2012
Math
37%
ELA
39%
2013
Math
32%
ELA
37%
2014
Math
30%
ELA
32%
2015
Math
34%
ELA
38%
2016
Math
31%
ELA
40%
2017
Math
36%
ELA
44%
2018
Math
31%
ELA
39%
2019
Math
31%
ELA
39%
2020*
Math
21%
ELA
37%
2021*
Math
21%
ELA
37%
2022
Math
30%
ELA
34%
2025
Math
36%
ELA
36%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 40% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 42% (multi-year average, 2009-2025)

* COVID-affected year — test participation was uneven nationwide. This data is weighted at 50% in the Growth score calculation.

Based on 36 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

75.9%

Students qualifying for federal meal assistance

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

The neighborhood

Where East Lee Middle sits, and what the surrounding area looks like.

Nearby same-level schools are colored by their score. Pins are locations, not attendance boundaries.

Getting around & local context

  • Walk 14Car-Dependent
  • Bike 29Somewhat Bikeable
  • County Safety: Average358/100K

Powered byWalk Score

FBI Uniform Crime Reporting · 2024 · county context, not school-level safety or attendance eligibility. Source details

Source period: 2024. A newer release may be available.

Area profileU.S. Census ACS 5-year estimates (ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates)

Median income

$60,726

Median home value

$213,000

Median rent

$966/mo

College educated

23.1%

Homeownership

61%

Poverty rate

17.3%

ACS 2019–2023 5-year estimates for the ZCTA associated with school ZIP 27330; this is area context, not an attendance boundary.

Programs & students

Programs & Offerings

Gifted & Talented ProgramAvailable
This school offers a gifted and talented program for qualifying students.·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22

Compare nearby

Nearby same-level schools

3 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Floyd L Knight Children CenterEnrollment path unverified4.1PK–123.0 mi115Compare →
Sanlee Middle SchoolEnrollment path unverified6.46–84.5 mi791Compare →
West Lee MiddleEnrollment path unverified3.86–8Not available583Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Lee County Schools

Schools in district
16
Rank in district
#13 of 16
District spending per student
$13,241NCES F-33 · FY 2023 · This annual source is three years behind the current year.
District child poverty rate
18.2%Census SAIPE · 2024

East Lee Middle is listed in Lee County Schools; a district label does not verify attendance for an address.

About East Lee Middle

East Lee Middle is a public middle school in Sanford, NC, part of Lee County Schools, serving approximately 477 students in grades 6th-8th with a 13.6:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 out of 10 and ranks #2,265 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about East Lee Middle

What grades does East Lee Middle serve?

East Lee Middle serves students in grades 6th through 8th.

How many students attend East Lee Middle?

East Lee Middle has an enrollment of approximately 477 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at East Lee Middle?

The student-teacher ratio at East Lee Middle is 13.6:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does East Lee Middle rank in NC?

East Lee Middle ranks #2,265 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is East Lee Middle's MySchoolScout rating?

East Lee Middle has a current MySchoolScout rating of 4.3 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 East Lee Middle?

Based on loaded state assessment records, East Lee Middle has 40% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 42% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is East Lee Middle a charter school?

No, East Lee Middle is not a charter school. It is a traditional public school operated by the local school district.

Is East Lee Middle a Title I school?

No, East Lee Middle is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for East Lee Middle?

75.9% of students at East Lee Middle qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. This is a commonly used indicator of economic need and provides important context when interpreting test scores.

School factsNCES Common Core of Data (CCD) (SY 2023–24)

Grades
6th – 8th
Enrollment
477
Student-Teacher Ratio
13.6:1
Teachers (FTE)
35
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Lee County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
31.9%
Area population (ZIP 27330)
41,473
Area average commute
24.7 min
Area median age
36.8
About this school's data

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

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 · 2025 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 · 2025 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)
NCES EdFacts · 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 27330; 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, 2009-2025; directory SY 2023–24

About our data · How we calculate scores

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