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Sanford, North Carolina - 1 schools
An equity score of 28/100 ranks Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County #213 of 293 districts in North Carolina (state average 45). Derived live from how evenly resources are distributed across the district's schools.
At $9,055 per pupil, Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County ranks #280 of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending (North Carolina districts). NCES F-33 finance data.
547
Total Enrollment
1
Schools
$9,055
Per-Pupil Spending
Combined
School Types
District-Level NCES Analysis
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County operates 1 public schools serving 547 students, placing it among the smallest districts in North Carolina. The school portfolio breaks down into 1 combined schools, a small enough portfolio that most families will interact with nearly every campus in the district at some point. These enrollment and school figures come from the NCES Common Core of Data (CCD) 2024-25 release, and the district is based in Lee County.
Per-pupil expenditure runs $9,055 according to the NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey, in the lower half of 322 North Carolina districts by per-pupil spending. See how North Carolina compares in our national per-pupil spending analysis. The funding mix is 21.5% local, 70.9% state, and 7.6% federal, a state-revenue-heavy mix that insulates the district somewhat from local property-tax volatility, though it ties funding to state budget cycles. The district's equity score is 28/100, ranked #213 of 293 in North Carolina against a state average of 45, notably less even than the typical district in the state for how evenly funding reaches its schools.
Academic infrastructure includes 1 of 1 schools offering Advanced Placement (3 AP courses district-wide), a 314:1 student-counselor ratio, somewhat above the 250:1 ASCA recommendation, and 15.4% chronic absenteeism from the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection. Demographically, the student body averages 54.1% White, 20.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% African American across the district's schools.
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County accounts for 100.0% of all Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County student enrollment
That is an overwhelming concentration, leaving the rest of Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County a distant remainder — means Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County-wide averages can mask substantial variation outside the dominant entity. Grade band: combined. A single dominant campus often anchors a district's program offerings and staffing patterns; the share helps explain why district-wide averages may not reflect the typical neighbourhood-school experience. When one entity dominates a region's footprint, its programmatic and budget decisions effectively set policy for a majority of the affected population.
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County student-counselor ratio is 314:1 — near the typical range (US average ~408) — within the typical range for U.S. public districts
student-counselor ratio is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: the ratio counts FTE counselors against total enrollment, districts that contract intervention or social-emotional staff outside the counselor classification may be under-counted Variation between sub-units within Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County is typically wider than the Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County-aggregate figure suggests.
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County chronic absenteeism rate is 15.4% — near the typical range (US average ~28) — aligned with the national post-pandemic baseline of roughly 28% chronic absenteeism
chronic absenteeism rate is the simplest comparative metric but it does not capture the full picture: a student is chronically absent if they miss ≥10% of enrolled days for any reason, illness, family obligations, or disengagement Variation between sub-units within Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County is typically wider than the Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County-aggregate figure suggests.
Comparisons are relative to Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data and the F-33 Finance Survey.
Nearby Districts in North Carolina
Top districts in the same state, compare side-by-side for enrollment, spending, and demographics.
How many schools are in Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County?
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County has 1 school, including 1 combined. Total enrollment is 547 students.
How much does Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County spend per student?
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County spends $9,055 per student. The district has an equity score of 28/100, ranking #213 in North Carolina.
What is the demographic composition of Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County?
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County students are 54.1% White, 20.5% Hispanic or Latino, 12.9% African American, 1.3% Asian, averaged across 1 school. Source: NCES CCD Membership 2024-25.
What is the equity score for Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County?
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County has an equity score of 28/100, ranking #213 out of 293 districts in North Carolina.