Top Rankings
Lee County Schools School District ranks among the top 20% of public school district in North Carolina for:
Category
Attribute
Community Size
Largest student body (number of students) (Top 1%)
For the 2025 school year, there are 5 public middle schools serving 2,020 students in Lee County Schools School District. This district's average middle testing ranking is 3/10, which is in the bottom 50% of public middle schools in North Carolina.
Public Middle Schools in Lee County Schools School District have an average math proficiency score of 38% (versus the North Carolina public middle school average of 48%), and reading proficiency score of 37% (versus the 50% statewide average).
Minority enrollment is 71% of the student body (majority Hispanic), which is more than the North Carolina public middle school average of 56% (majority Black and Hispanic).
Overview
This School District
This State (NC)
# Schools
16 Schools
882 Schools
# Students
9,018 Students
494,023 Students
# Teachers
639 Teachers
31,644 Teachers
Student : Teacher Ratio
14:1
14:1
District Rank
Lee County Schools School District, which is ranked within the bottom 50% of all 320 school districts in North Carolina (based off of combined math and reading proficiency testing data) for the 2021-2022 school year.
The school district's graduation rate of 88% has decreased from 90% over five school years.
Overall District Rank
#212 out of 325 school districts
(Bottom 50%)
(Bottom 50%)

Math Test Scores (% Proficient)
46%
51%

Reading/Language Arts Test Scores (% Proficient)
42%
50%

Science Test Scores (% Proficient)
59%
63%

Graduation Rate
88%
86%

Students by Ethnicity:
Diversity Score
0.68
0.71
# American Indian Students
19 Students
5,633 Students
% American Indian Students
n/a
1%
# Asian Students
51 Students
19,933 Students
% Asian Students
n/a
4%
# Hispanic Students
3,875 Students
98,873 Students
% Hispanic Students
43%
20%
# Black Students
1,775 Students
122,407 Students
% Black Students
20%
25%
# White Students
2,870 Students
215,701 Students
% White Students
32%
44%
# Hawaiian Students
9 Students
646 Students
% Hawaiian Students
n/a
n/a
# Two or more races Students
452 Students
30,848 Students
% of Two or more races Students
5%
6%
Students by Grade:
# Students in PK Grade:
86
1,882
# Students in K Grade:
667
16,660
# Students in 1st Grade:
667
16,806
# Students in 2nd Grade:
725
17,050
# Students in 3rd Grade:
666
16,530
# Students in 4th Grade:
677
16,849
# Students in 5th Grade:
707
19,618
# Students in 6th Grade:
571
111,560
# Students in 7th Grade:
626
116,793
# Students in 8th Grade:
681
119,029
# Students in 9th Grade:
734
12,380
# Students in 10th Grade:
844
10,877
# Students in 11th Grade:
781
9,420
# Students in 12th Grade:
586
8,569
# Ungraded Students:
-
-
District Revenue and Spending
The revenue/student of $11,441 is higher than the state median of $11,187. The school district revenue/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
The school district's spending/student of $11,018 is less than the state median of $11,612. The school district spending/student has grown by 5% over four school years.
Total Revenue
$103 MM
$17,307 MM

Spending
$99 MM
$17,964 MM

Revenue / Student
$11,441
$11,187

Spending / Student
$11,018
$11,612

Best Lee County Schools School District Public Middle Schools (2025)
School
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
(Math and Reading Proficiency)
Location
Grades
Students
Rank: #11.
Sanlee Middle School
(Math: 49% | Reading: 43%)
Rank:
Rank:
5/
Bottom 50%10
2309 Tramway Rd
Sanford, NC 27332
(919) 708-7227
Sanford, NC 27332
(919) 708-7227
Grades: 6-8
| 791 students
Rank: #22.
West Lee Middle School
(Math: 32% | Reading: 37%)
Rank:
Rank:
3/
Bottom 50%10
3301 Wicker St
Sanford, NC 27330
(919) 775-7351
Sanford, NC 27330
(919) 775-7351
Grades: 6-8
| 583 students
Rank: #33.
East Lee Middle School
(Math: 30% | Reading: 32%)
Rank:
Rank:
2/
Bottom 50%10
1337 Broadway Rd
Sanford, NC 27330
(919) 776-8441
Sanford, NC 27330
(919) 776-8441
Grades: 6-8
| 477 students
Rank: #44.
Floyd L Knight Children Center
Special Education School
(Math: ≤20% | Reading: ≤20%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
607 W Mcintosh St
Sanford, NC 27330
(919) 774-4634
Sanford, NC 27330
(919) 774-4634
Grades: PK-12
| 115 students
Rank: #55.
Bragg Street Academy
Alternative School
(Math: ≤10% | Reading: 11-19%)
Rank:
Rank:
1/
Bottom 50%10
504 Bragg Street
Sanford, NC 27330
(919) 775-2686
Sanford, NC 27330
(919) 775-2686
Grades: 6-12
| 54 students
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