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#1558 of 2,648 schools in NC

Lee County High

High School · Lee County Schools · Sanford, NC

A high school in Sanford, NC where students score 9 points below what's typical for similar communities.

1708 Nash Street, Sanford, NC 27330

  • Math 62% vs NC 56% (2025)
  • Reading 36% vs NC 54% (2025)
  • 86.0% 4-year graduation

Academics

Full Profile · 4/4 metrics
Student Progress5.0Average25%
Year-over-year improvement in student test scores.
View breakdown
Years of Data14
Annual Change-1.86 pts/yr
Data Period2009–2025
TrendDeclining
Academics5.2Average25%
Student proficiency on state tests, adjusted for community poverty levels.
View breakdown
Math Proficiency61.9% (2025 NC)
Reading/ELA Proficiency36.1% (2025 NC)
Math vs. State Avg+5.9 pts
Reading vs. State Avg-17.5 pts
Overall Proficiency49% (2025 NC, Math+ELA)
Expected (poverty-adj.)58% (model expectation from 2025 NC)
vs. Expected-9.1 pts
Adjusted Percentile34th
College Readiness7.8Very Good30%
Graduation rates, AP course participation, and IB availability.
View breakdown
4-Year Graduation Rate86%
AP Participation4.5%
IB ProgramYes
Resources & Environment5.0Average20%
Student-teacher ratio, district spending per student, and attendance.
View breakdown
Student-Teacher Ratio16.7:1
District spending per student$13,241
Chronic Absenteeism33.4%

Students at Lee County High score 49% proficient, which is below what's typical for similar communities (expected: 58%).

How we calculate scores →

2025 NC proficiency

Most recent published year. School vs. NC average.

Math Proficiency62%(2025 NC)
School
State
56%(2025 NC)
ELA Proficiency36%(2025 NC)
School
State
54%(2025 NC)

Trend

↑ Recovering

Proficiency declined earlier in the 17-year record (2009–2025), then recovered 19 points since 2019, reaching 49% in 2025.

Show all 14 years
2009
Math
77%
ELA
56%
2010
Math
82%
ELA
62%
2011
Math
78%
ELA
78%
2012
Math
29%
ELA
41%
2013
Math
27%
ELA
38%
2014
Math
26%
ELA
32%
2015
Math
32%
ELA
36%
2016
Math
24%
ELA
36%
2017
Math
1%
ELA
36%
2018
Math
27%
ELA
33%
2019
Math
27%
ELA
33%
2020*
Math
39%
ELA
44%
2021*
Math
39%
ELA
44%
2025
Math
62%
ELA
36%

Multi-year averages used by the rating model: math 41% (multi-year average, 2009-2025) · reading/ELA 43% (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 28 test records from NC state assessments and EdFacts (NCES).

Equity & diversity

Shown separately, not included in the overall score

Free/reduced lunch

61.6%

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 Lee County High 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 24Car-Dependent
  • Bike 28Somewhat 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

AP/IB Programs3AP courses offeredIB Programme
4.5% participation·State avg: 3 AP courses·69 IB enrolled·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Athletics15sports offered
7 boys'·8 girls'·44 teams (incl. JV)·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
Advanced STEM Courses5of 5 advanced subjects offered
Algebra II, Advanced Math, Calculus, Chemistry, Physics·CRDC via Urban Institute · SY 2021–22
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

4 from a 5-mile search; district fallback available

SchoolScoreGradesDistanceEnrollmentCompare
Bragg Street AcademyEnrollment path unverified3.96–121.1 mi54Compare →
Floyd L Knight Children CenterEnrollment path unverified4.1PK–121.1 mi115Compare →
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee CountyCharter · enrollment unverified5.76–122.6 mi599Compare →
Southern Lee High SchoolEnrollment path unverified4.99–123.1 mi1,185Compare →

Distance is proximity only; it is not attendance eligibility.

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

Charter · enrollment unverified: Potential charter option; enrollment requirements have not been verified.

Lee County Schools

Schools in district
16
Rank in district
#10 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

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

About Lee County High

Lee County High is a public high school in Sanford, NC, part of Lee County Schools, serving approximately 1,469 students in grades 9th-12th with a 16.7:1 student-teacher ratio. It holds a MySchoolScout rating of 5.9 out of 10 and ranks #1,558 of 2,648 schools in NC. State assessment records show 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 43% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Frequently asked questions

Common questions about Lee County High

What grades does Lee County High serve?

Lee County High serves students in grades 9th through 12th.

How many students attend Lee County High?

Lee County High has an enrollment of approximately 1,469 students.

What is the student-teacher ratio at Lee County High?

The student-teacher ratio at Lee County High is 16.7:1. A lower ratio generally means more individual attention per student. The national average is approximately 16:1 for public schools.

How does Lee County High rank in NC?

Lee County High ranks #1,558 of 2,648 schools in NC.

What is Lee County High's MySchoolScout rating?

Lee County High 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 Lee County High?

Based on loaded state assessment records, Lee County High has 41% math proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025) and 43% reading/ELA proficiency (multi-year average, 2009-2025).

Is Lee County High a charter school?

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

Is Lee County High a Title I school?

No, Lee County High is not currently a Title I school.

What does the Free & Reduced Lunch percentage mean for Lee County High?

61.6% of students at Lee County High 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
9th – 12th
Enrollment
1,469
Student-Teacher Ratio
16.7:1
Teachers (FTE)
88
Type
regular
Setting
Distant Town
County
Lee County
Chronic Absenteeism (SY 2022-23)
33.4%
4-Year Graduation
86.0%
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

Related reading

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