- Enrollment
- 1,459
- Students per teacher
- 15.4:1
- Resource Index
- 34/100
High school (grades 9-12) · Sanford, NC
Southern Lee High School
Federal NCES profile for Southern Lee High School, including enrollment, faculty, free-lunch eligibility, demographics, and resource indicators - Resource Investment Index 37/100.
2024-25 NCES dataHigh school (grades 9-12)NCES 370256002781
👥 S:T ratio 37
🌟 Gifted program 70
🎓 Counselors 41
📋 Attendance 0
Scored 0–100 from federal NCES and CRDC indicators, resource allocation, not test scores. Full methodology →
The verdict
Southern Lee High School earns 37/100 on the Resource Investment Index, with class sizes near the North Carolina median.
- #2 of 3
- high schools in Sanford · Resource Index
- 37
- Resource Index · Typical
- 15.7:1
- students per teacher
- 56.1%
- free-lunch eligible
Southern Lee High School has class sizes near the North Carolina median. Computed live against every North Carolina school reporting to NCES.
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Lee High School ranks #2 of 3 high schools in Sanford, NC.
School address
District: Lee County Schools · North Carolina
NCES ID 370256002781 Verify on NCES CCD record →
CCD year-over-year · 2022-23 → 2023-24
-49 students YoY
Southern Lee High School held near 1,185 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-49 headcount).
Teacher FTE added 75.0 → 76.5 across the same CCD years.
Source: NCES Common Core of Data public-school universe (2022-23, 2023-24).
Steady CCD campus
-49 students YoY 370256002781 · Sanford, NC High · MID · TRAD
1,180 enr · 15.7:1 · 56.1% lunch · RII 37
Nearest enrollment peer: Lee County High (1,459 students)
Southern Lee High School held near 1,185 students from 2022-23 to 2023-24 (-49 headcount). Teacher FTE added 75.0 → 76.5 across the same CCD years. Read with this school → · District book → · North Carolina schools → · Find another →
Southern Lee High School in the enrollment neighbourhood
Fall enrollment among this campus and nearest district peers
- Lee County Hig
Lee County High
1,459 students
- This school
Southern Lee High School
1,180 students
- Sanlee Middle
Sanlee Middle School
792 students
- Wb Wicker Elem
Wb Wicker Elementary
588 students
- J Glenn Edward
J Glenn Edwards Elementary
587 students
- Greenwood Elem 571
Greenwood Elementary
571 students
What this shows Southern Lee High School reports 1,180 students on the CCD universe file.
How Southern Lee High School compares
Southern Lee High School held steady on CCD headcount: ratios and free-lunch share vs North Carolina and U.S. means.
| Metric | This school | vs North Carolina | North Carolina avg | U.S. avg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students per teacher | 15.7:1 | ▼ 1% | 15.8:1 | 15.7:1 |
| Free-lunch eligible | 56.1% | ▼ 15% | 66.0% | 51.7% |
| Enrollment | 1,180 | top 7% | - | - |
Source: NCES Common Core of Data School-level CCD + state/national means from Public School Universe · 2024-25
15.7:1
Leaner classes than 41% of US schools, a middle-of-the-pack class size.
1,180
Bigger than 94% of US schools by enrollment, a large campus nationally.
Equity indicators methodology
Economic need
56.1%
free-lunch eligible
- 15% 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
15.7:1
students per teacher
- 1% below state mean
Top 59% in North Carolina - lower ratio than 41% of state schools
Close to the 15:1 benchmark most often cited for individualized attention.
Engagement
51.5%
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
$13,241
per pupil, district-wide
- above North Carolina avg of $12,294
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 295 students, the combined health-and-guidance staffing load for this school.
Discipline context
183
in-school suspensions + 120 out-of-school
Suspension rate: 15.5 per 100 students. Combined in-school and out-of-school rate: 25.7 per 100 students. Reported via the Civil Rights Data Collection.
Student demographics
Hispanic or Latino 43.8%
White 30.5%
African American 21.3%
Two or More 3.3%
Asian 0.8%
American Indian / Alaska Native 0.3%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander 0.1%
Largest group: Hispanic or Latino at 43.8% of enrollment.
Student-body diversity index 66.9/100
Simpson diversity index - at 66.9, Southern Lee High School is more mixed than the North Carolina school average of 56.1.
Programs
AP courses offered 7
Gifted & talented Yes
District finance for Lee County Schools reports $13,241 per pupil (NCES F-33) - open the district page for the full revenue mix.
How Southern Lee High School Compares to District-Mates
| School | Enrollment | Economic Profile | Student-Teacher Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lee County High | 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 Southern Lee High School's own figures; each column derives from NCES Common Core of Data.
Other Schools in This District
- 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.
Nationwide high schools with similar size or staffing
Out-of-state peers matched by enrollment and by student-teacher ratio, not the same-city or same-district lists above.
Similar enrollment (~1,180 students)
Frequently asked questions about Southern Lee High School
How many students attend Southern Lee High School?
Southern Lee High School has 1,180 students enrolled. It is a high school in Sanford, NC. CCD year-over-year: 1,234 (2022-23) → 1,185 (2023-24), nearly flat (-49).
What is the student-teacher ratio at Southern Lee High School?
The student-teacher ratio at Southern Lee High School is 15.7:1, which is 1% lower than the North Carolina average of 15.8:1 and 0% higher 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 Southern Lee High School?
56.1% of students at Southern Lee High School are eligible for free lunch, compared to the North Carolina average of 66.0%.
What is the racial and ethnic makeup of Southern Lee High School?
The largest demographic group at Southern Lee High School is Hispanic or Latino at 43.8% of enrollment, in Sanford, NC. Its student body is more racially and ethnically mixed than most US schools, with a diversity index of 66.9/100.
What is the Resource Investment Index for Southern Lee High School?
Southern Lee High School has a Resource Investment Index of 37/100 (typical reported resources relative to schools nationally) based on 4 factors: student-teacher ratio, gifted-program reporting, counselor availability, chronic absenteeism. Not a test-score or academic measure (national median ~41/100, see methodology).
How does Southern Lee High School rank among high schools in Sanford?
By Resource Investment Index, Southern Lee High School ranks #2 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.
What other schools are in Lee County Schools?
Besides Southern Lee High School, Lee County Schools also operates Lee County High (1,459 students), Sanlee Middle School (792 students), and Wb Wicker Elementary (588 students). See the Lee County Schools district page for the complete list.