Enrollment
1,459
North Carolina · 2024-25 NCES data
High school (grades 9-12) · Sanford, NC
Lee County High
Federal NCES profile for Lee County High, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 33/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370256001080
👥 S:T ratio 38
📚 AP courses 30
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 27
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Lee County High earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina.
- #3 of 3
- high schools in Sanford · Resource Index
- 33
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.4:1
- students per teacher
- 56.6%
- free-lunch eligible
Lee County High has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Lee County High ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Sanford, NC.
School address
District: Lee County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370256001080 Verify on NCES CCD record →
Teachers (FTE)
95.0
Federal CCD staff survey
Students per teacher
15.4:1
vs 15.8:1 North Carolina avg
-3% vs state
Free-lunch eligible
56.6%
vs 66.0% North Carolina avg
-14% vs state
Student-teacher ratio in context
How Lee County High compares with North Carolina and U.S. medians
What stands out at Lee County High
Lee County High is a higher-need, large high school in Sanford, North Carolina, enrolling 1,459 students.
At 15.4:1, its student-teacher ratio sits close to the North Carolina median, within a few percentage points of the 15.8:1 state norm, neither notably crowded nor notably small.
Its free-meal eligibility rate of 56.6% lands close to the North Carolina typical range, neither a high- nor low-need campus by this measure.
By headcount it is one of the larger campuses in North Carolina, bigger than 96% of state schools at 1,459 students.
Its Resource Investment Index lands in the lower third of 2,698 scored North Carolina schools.
Against 116 statewide peers matched on enrollment and economic need, it ranks mid-pack at #74.
Its student body is led by Hispanic or Latino (44%) and White (29%) (diversity index 67/100).
On the academic-pipeline side it reports 6 Advanced Placement courses.
Counselor availability sits well past the ASCA benchmark, roughly 365 students sharing each counselor, though short of the most stretched campuses.
Chronic absenteeism is elevated: 52.2% of students missed 10% or more of school days (2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection).
Its district draws 23.3% of revenue from federal sources, an above-typical federal share that tends to track a higher-need student population.
Discipline events run high: 390 in- and out-of-school suspensions were reported for 1,459 students in the 2021-22 Civil Rights Data Collection.
Among Sanford's high schools, it stands alongside Southern Lee High School (1,180 students): Lee County High is larger than that campus by headcount and runs leaner classes (15.4:1 vs 15.7:1).
Lee County Schools also operates Southern Lee High School (1,180 students) and Sanlee Middle School (792 students) alongside Lee County High.
Sourced from NCES CCD, CRDC, and F-33 (federal records, not a quality verdict). How we source and compute this.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics Common Core of Data + CRDC + F-33 · 2024-25
How Lee County High compares
Lee County High on the metrics families compare, against North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.4:1 | ▼ 3% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.6% | ▼ 14% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,459 | top 4% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.4:1
Leaner classes than 43% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,459
Bigger than 96% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators (what these measure)
Economic need
56.6%
free-lunch eligible
- 14% below the North Carolina average of 66.0%
Above the 40% Title I schoolwide threshold; federal funds support the whole school, not individual students.
Staffing depth
15.4:1
students per teacher
- 3% below state mean
Top 55% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 45% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
52.2%
chronically absent (missed 10%+ of school days)
At or above 20%, the commonly used threshold for "high" chronic absenteeism, signaling significant barriers to regular attendance.
Funding equity
$12,250
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,017
Well below the U.S. average per-pupil spend, a notably leaner funding position that may affect programs, facilities, and staffing.
Support staff
Counselors4.0 FTE
Per 365 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
275
in-school suspensions + 115 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 18.8 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 26.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Overview
- Common Core of Data (June 2026): enrollment, staffing, and the student-teacher ratio above.
- Civil Rights Data Collection: discipline counts and program access (AP, gifted, special education).
- F-33 School District Finance Survey: the district-wide per-pupil spending figures below.
Three separate federal collections, each on its own reporting cadence - which is why this school's numbers line up on a consistent basis against every other school and state on this site, rather than mixing figures pulled from different survey years.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 43.9%
White 28.5%
African American 23.0%
Two or More 3.4%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.9% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 67.2/100
Simpson diversity index - at 67.2, Lee County High is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 6
Gifted & talented Yes
Funding & spending
District-wide per-pupil expenditure for Lee County Schools, which includes Lee County High.
$12,250
Per student
+2%
vs North Carolina
Avg $12,017
-26%
vs U.S.
Avg $16,593
Revenue mix
Local 16.8%
State 59.9%
Federal 23.3%
Source: NCES F-33 School District Finance Survey District-level finance · FY 2021-22 Per-pupil expenditure reflects the district-wide average. Individual school budgets are not reported at the federal level.
How Lee County High Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southern Lee High School | Similar size | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Sanlee Middle School | Smaller | Similar economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Wb Wicker Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| J Glenn Edwards Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Similar S:T ratio |
| Greenwood Elementary | Smaller | Higher economic need | Lower S:T ratio |
Comparisons are relative to Lee County High's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- Enrollment
- 1,180
- Students per teacher
- 15.7:1
- Resource Index
- 37/100
- Enrollment
- 792
- Students per teacher
- 14.9:1
- Resource Index
- 46/100
- Enrollment
- 588
- Students per teacher
- 14.7:1
- Resource Index
- 45/100
- Enrollment
- 587
- Students per teacher
- 15.1:1
- Resource Index
- 32/100
- Enrollment
- 571
- Students per teacher
- 13.9:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
Similar high schools in Sanford
2 comparable high schools (grades 9-12) serving the same city.
Similar high schools statewide
Matched by enrollment size and by staffing ratio across all of North Carolina, not just this city - a different peer set than the local comparisons above.
Similar enrollment (~1,459 students)
Similar student-teacher ratio (~15.4:1)
Next steps
Verify locally before acting on Lee County High's federal record.
- Compare Lee County High against another school. Compare schools
- Lee County Schools's spending and staffing shape this school. District profile
- Confirm current enrollment and boundaries with the school. Choosing guide
Federal record (CCD 2024-25, CRDC 2021-22) - PlainSchools assigns no subjective rating; the composite quality score is a transparent, reproducible index computed from this cited federal data.
Frequently asked questions about Lee County High
How many students attend Lee County High?
Lee County High has 1,459 students enrolled. It is a high school in Sanford, NC.
What is the student-teacher ratio at Lee County High?
The student-teacher ratio at Lee County High is 15.4:1, which is 3% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 2% lower than the national average of 15.7:1. Lower ratios generally mean more individual attention per student.
What percentage of students receive free lunch at Lee County High?
56.6% of students at Lee County High are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Lee County High?
The largest demographic group at Lee County High is Hispanic or Latino at 43.9% of enrollment, in Sanford, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 67.2/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Lee County High?
Lee County High has a Resource Investment Index of 33/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 5 factors: student-teacher ratio, AP course offerings, counselor availability, attendance rates. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Lee County High rank among high schools in Sanford?
By Resource Investment Index, Lee County High ranks #3 of 3 high schools in Sanford, NC. This compares federal resource and staffing data among local peers; it is not a test-score or academic ranking. See all high schools in Sanford on the city page.
Is Lee County High a good school?
Lee County High earns 33/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median. It is also one of the largest schools in North Carolina. This is a resource snapshot, not an academic rating; see the Resource Investment Index question above for what the number does and doesn't measure.
What other schools are in Lee County Schools?
Besides Lee County High, Lee County Schools also operates Southern Lee High School (1,180 students), Sanlee Middle School (792 students), and Wb Wicker Elementary (588 students). See the Lee County Schools district page for the complete list.
Related tools
Every figure on PlainSchools is rendered directly from the source NCES, CRDC and F-33 federal records, no number is typed in by an editor. Each school's figures reflect its most recent NCES/CRDC submission on file. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of June 2026.