Lee Early College

Summary:

Lee Early College is a public high school serving grades 9-12 in Sanford, North Carolina, with a student population of 272. The school is part of the Lee County Schools district, which is ranked 132 out of 242 districts in the state and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Lee Early College consistently outperforms the Lee County Schools district and the state of North Carolina in end-of-course (EOC) test scores, with 94.9% proficiency in Biology EOC compared to 46.5% for the district and 53.4% for the state. The school has been ranked among the top 50 high schools in North Carolina for the past four school years, placing it in the top 5% of high schools in the state. Lee Early College also excels in the performance of various student subgroups, ranking 24th out of 454 high schools for Hispanic students and 26th out of 607 high schools for male students.

Despite having a relatively high percentage of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds (43.75% free and reduced lunch recipients), Lee Early College maintains exceptional academic performance, significantly outperforming the other high schools in the immediate vicinity, such as Southern Lee High School, Lee County High, and Bragg Street Academy. The school has maintained a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger for the past four school years, indicating a consistently high level of academic excellence.

Detail:

Public 9-12

1105 Kelly Drive
Sanford, NC 27330

(919) 888-4502

District: Lee County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
35^th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $5,908

Feeder schools for Lee Early College:

Elementary:	Broadway Elementary
	BT Bullock Elementary
	Deep River Elementary
	Greenwood Elementary
	More...
	J Glenn Edwards Elementary
	J R Ingram Junior Elementary
	Tramway Elementary
Middle:	East Lee Middle
	SanLee Middle School
	West Lee Middle

Student/teacher ratio: 21.9

Number of students: 263

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

50.2%

White:

30.8%

African American:

9.5%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 55.1%

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Performance Trends

Compare Details Lee Early College ranks better than 94.5% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks first among 3 ranked high schools in the Lee County Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 94.12. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: Hispanic (50.2%), White (30.8%), African American (9.5%). (See more...)

Compare Details 55.1% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Lee County Schools District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lee Early College is 21.9, which is the highest among 4 high schools in the Lee County Schools District! (See more...)

Compare Lee Early College employs 12 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lee Early College is $5,908, which is the lowest among 4 high schools in the Lee County Schools District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Lee Early College:

SchoolDigger ranks Lee Early College 35^th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Lee Early College in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Low Socio Economic Status students:

Female students:

Gifted and Talented students:

Male students:

Hispanic students:

White students:

Lee County Schools:

SchoolDigger ranks Lee County Schools 132^nd of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

Average Rating:

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Rank History for Lee Early College

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Rank History for all students at Lee Early College

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2021	95.03	32^nd	594	94.6%
2022	93.13	44^th	621	92.9%
2023	94.86	29^th	626	95.4%
2024	94.12	35^th	640	94.5%

See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lee Early College

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	98.58	22^nd	544	96.0%
2023	97.04	26^th	597	95.6%
2024	96.28	40^th	613	93.5%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at Lee Early College

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	90.22	57^th	594	90.4%
2023	92.52	41^st	588	93.0%
2024	91.58	53^rd	602	91.2%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Lee Early College

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	68.53	124^th	398	68.8%
2023	81.52	14^th	403	96.5%
2024	73.20	87^th	403	78.4%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at Lee Early College

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	95.11	40^th	585	93.2%
2023	96.33	18^th	602	97.0%
2024	95.87	26^th	607	95.7%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Lee Early College

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	96.93	22^nd	436	95.0%
2023	98.04	18^th	449	96.0%
2024	97.18	24^th	454	94.7%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Lee Early College

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked High Schools	NC State Percentile
2022	91.88	41^st	534	92.3%
2023	91.25	44^th	537	91.8%
2024	91.57	41^st	553	92.6%

See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for White Students!

Data source: test scores: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction, rankings: SchoolDigger.com

As you review the school rankings data, please be aware that some of the information from certain demographics is missing. The reason for this omission is that the data has been redacted from the source data itself due to low population samples in these specific demographic groups.

Redacting data from low population samples is a necessary step to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the results, as small sample sizes may not be representative of the broader population. Additionally, this measure helps protect the privacy of individuals belonging to these demographic groups.

Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

Review counts

All ratings (Avg rating: 5)

100%

Reviews:
No reviews have been submitted!

Enrollment information for Lee Early College

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
2007	37	11	0	22	0	n/a	n/a	3	73
2008	76	27	2	42	n/a	n/a	n/a	3	150
2009	107	49	2	59	0	n/a	n/a	0	217
2010	136	61	4	79	0	n/a	n/a	0	280
2011	126	49	3	85	0	0	2	0	265
2012	114	43	3	86	2	0	2	0	250
2013	113	32	4	89	2	0	3	0	243
2014	117	35	4	86	2	0	4	0	248
2015	130	41	5	105	2	0	5	0	288
2016	123	43	5	108	3	1	3	0	286
2017	110	33	9	109	4	1	5	0	271
2018	106	34	8	138	4	0	6	0	296
2019	100	37	10	143	4	0	9	0	303
2020	98	38	8	137	2	0	14	0	297
2021	101	35	8	139	1	0	19	0	303
2022	91	35	7	127	0	0	18	0	278
2023	90	30	11	122	0	0	19	0	272
2024	81	25	8	132	0	0	17	0	263

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Enrollment/Ethnicity

For more information about how the Department of Education defines ethnicity, see Defining Race and Ethnicity Data, National Center for Education Statistics

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Lee Early College

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	73	4.0	18.3	54.3
2008	150	6.9	21.7	52.4
2009	217	11.0	19.7	45.2
2010	280	10.0	28.0	39.3
2011	265	11.0	24.0	46
2012	250	11.5	21.6	51.2
2013	243	11.0	22.0	56
2014	248	11.0	22.5	55.2
2015	288	12.0	24.0	51.4
2016	286	12.0	23.8	52.8
2017	271	12.0	22.5	54.6
2018	296	12.0	24.6	50.7
2019	303	11.9	25.4	55.1
2020	297	11.9	24.8	43.1
2021	303	11.0	27.5	31.4
2022	278	12.0	23.1	26.6
2023	272	12.0	22.6	43.8
2024	263	12.0	21.9	55.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Students eligible for discounted/free lunch:

The National School Lunch Program (NSLP) provides low-cost or free meals to students in U.S. public and nonprofit private schools based on household income. Those with incomes below 130% of the poverty line receive free lunch, while those between 130% and 185% qualify for reduced-price lunch. The percentage of students receiving free or reduced-price lunch serves as a marker for poverty, as it reflects the socioeconomic status of families in a given school or district. A higher FRPL rate typically indicates a higher concentration of low-income families, suggesting that the school or district may face additional challenges in providing adequate resources and support for student success.

Student/Teacher Ratio Lee Early College

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
2007	73	4.0	18.3	54.3
2008	150	6.9	21.7	52.4
2009	217	11.0	19.7	45.2
2010	280	10.0	28.0	39.3
2011	265	11.0	24.0	46
2012	250	11.5	21.6	51.2
2013	243	11.0	22.0	56
2014	248	11.0	22.5	55.2
2015	288	12.0	24.0	51.4
2016	286	12.0	23.8	52.8
2017	271	12.0	22.5	54.6
2018	296	12.0	24.6	50.7
2019	303	11.9	25.4	55.1
2020	297	11.9	24.8	43.1
2021	303	11.0	27.5	31.4
2022	278	12.0	23.1	26.6
2023	272	12.0	22.6	43.8
2024	263	12.0	21.9	55.1

Data source: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Dept of Education.

About Student-Teacher Ratio

Student/teacher ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of students by the total number of full-time equivalent teachers. Please note that a smaller student/teacher ratio does not necessarily translate to smaller class size. In some instances, schools hire teachers part time, and some teachers are hired for specialized instruction with very small class sizes. These and other factors contribute to the student/teacher ratio. Note: For private schools, Student/teacher ratio may not include Pre-Kindergarten.

Finances

Per Pupil Expenditures for Lee Early College

Year	Expenditures from Federal Funds	Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$41 (0.7%)	$5,867 (99.3%)	$5,908

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lee Early College

The coronavirus has had a profound impact on education in America. Learning shifted online overnight, attendance numbers dwindled, and enrollment decreased. SchoolDigger.com is making it easier for you to better assess how COVID-19 has impacted your school. Through the collection of pre-pandemic (2019) and current data, SchoolDigger.com is sharing test scores, enrollment numbers and school demographics from schools across the country – and we make it easy to see how impacted schools compare locally and statewide.

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Lee Early College)	87.2	89.3	2.1%
End of Course Biology (Lee County Schools)	49.5	49.6	0.1%
End of Course Biology (North Carolina)	59.6	54.1	5.5%
End of Course English II (Lee Early College)	86.4	93.5	7.1%
End of Course English II (Lee County Schools)	47.9	38.9	9%
End of Course English II (North Carolina)	59.7	58.5	1.2%
End of Course Math I (Lee Early College)	90.2	95.5	5.3%
End of Course Math I (Lee County Schools)	35.4	27	8.4%
End of Course Math I (North Carolina)	41.2	35.9	5.3%
End of Course Math III (Lee Early College)	92	96	4%
End of Course Math III (Lee County Schools)	34.9	56.1	21.2%
End of Course Math III (North Carolina)	46.8	58.3	11.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	303	272	10.2%
African American	37	30	18.9%
American Indian	4	0	100%
Asian	10	11	10%
Hispanic	143	122	14.7%
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	100	90	10%
Two or More Races	9	19	111.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	55.1%	43.8%	11.4%

Schools Near Lee Early College

Choose columns to see: Summary School Students/Teachers Ranking Test Scores Finance All

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				EOC Biology (2024)	EOC English II (2024)	EOC Math I (2024)	EOC Math III (2024)	EOG Mathematics (2024)			EOG Reading (2024)			EOG Science (2024)	Per Pupil Expenditures (2019)
Name	Type	Grades	Address	City	Zip	County	District	Is Charter	Is Magnet	Is Virtual	Is Title I	Phone	Enrollment	Full-time Teachers	Student/ Teacher Ratio	Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	White	Black	Hispanic	Asian	American Indian	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	SchoolDigger Rating (2024)	Average Standard Score (2023)	Statewide Rank (2023)	State Percentile (2023)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOC Biology End of Course	EOC English II End of Course	EOC Math I End of Course	EOC Math III End of Course	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Lee Early College	Public	9-12	1105 Kelly Drive	Sanford	27330	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 888-4502	263	12	21.9	55.1%	81 (30.8%)	25 (9.5%)	132 (50.2%)	8 (3.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	17 (6.5%)	94.1	35^th of 640 public high schools	94.5%		94.9	29^th of 626 public high schools	95.4%	6	94.9	91.7	79.5	100.0								$5,908	$41	$5,867
Lee County High	Public	9-12	1708 Nash Street	Sanford	27330	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 776-7541	1,469	88	16.6	61.6%	423 (28.8%)	346 (23.6%)	634 (43.2%)	9 (0.6%)	5 (0.3%)	1 (0.1%)	51 (3.5%)	25.7	477^th of 640 public high schools	25.5%		26.6	463^rd of 626 public high schools	26.0%	14	37.2	42.1	16.5	55.6								$9,332	$595	$8,737
Bragg Street Academy	Public	6-12	504 Bragg Street	Sanford	27330	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 775-2686	54	10	5.4	94.4%	10 (18.5%)	30 (55.6%)	13 (24.1%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.9%)								(n/a)										18.2	38.1	$20,791	$253	$20,538
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County	Public, Charter	6-12	283 Harvey Faulk Road	Sanford	27332	Lee County	Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County	Yes	No	No	Yes	(919) 842-5411	599	42	14.3		317 (52.9%)	77 (12.9%)	130 (21.7%)	4 (0.7%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.2%)	70 (11.7%)	61.1	228^th of 640 public high schools	64.4%		57.2	246^th of 626 public high schools	60.7%	18	62.3	67.8	52.9	62.0	62.1	51.8	49.4	65.5	57.6	53.0	81.9
Southern Lee High School	Public	9-12	2301 Tramway Road	Sanford	27332	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 718-2400	1,185	77	15.4	63.4%	378 (31.9%)	225 (19.0%)	529 (44.6%)	7 (0.6%)	4 (0.3%)	2 (0.2%)	40 (3.4%)	32.3	426^th of 640 public high schools	33.4%		26.1	465^th of 626 public high schools	25.7%	39	53.6	43.1	31.4	48.4								$9,595	$738	$8,857
Western Harnett High	Public	9-12	10637 NC Hwy 27 West	Lillington	27546	Harnett County	Harnett County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 499-5113	1,343	73	18.2	62.3%	629 (46.8%)	223 (16.6%)	398 (29.6%)	11 (0.8%)	10 (0.7%)	4 (0.3%)	68 (5.1%)	23.2	496^th of 640 public high schools	22.5%		23.7	489^th of 626 public high schools	21.9%	7	34.5	39.5	34.7	42.6								$8,173	$760	$7,413
Union Pines High	Public	9-12	1981 Union Church Rd	Cameron	28326	Harnett County	Moore County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 947-5511	1,409	77	18.2	34.4%	973 (69.1%)	113 (8.0%)	202 (14.3%)	6 (0.4%)	8 (0.6%)	2 (0.1%)	105 (7.5%)	67.3	196^th of 640 public high schools	69.4%		56.6	250^th of 626 public high schools	60.1%	54	72.3	71.3	52.9	63.8								$8,499	$727	$7,773
Chatham Central High	Public	9-12	14950 NC Hwy 902 W	Bear Creek	27207	Chatham County	Chatham County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 837-2251	326	31	10.4	59.8%	210 (64.4%)	20 (6.1%)	80 (24.5%)	4 (1.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	12 (3.7%)	45.9	324^th of 640 public high schools	49.4%		44.9	325^th of 626 public high schools	48.1%	1	50.0	57.1	46.3	56.5								$12,606	$549	$12,058
Chatham County Schools Virtual Academy	Public, Virtual	9-12	14950 NC Hwy 902 W	Bear Creek	27207	Chatham County	Chatham County Schools	No	(n/a)	Yes	(n/a)	(919) 837-2251	28	0		32.1%	22 (78.6%)	5 (17.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (3.6%)								(n/a)
The Community Learning Center @ Pinckney	Public	6-12	160 Pinckney Road	Carthage	28327	Moore County	Moore County Schools	No	No	No	No	(910) 947-2603	76	8	9.4	96.1%	37 (48.7%)	21 (27.6%)	8 (10.5%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (1.3%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (11.8%)	5.2	616^th of 640 public high schools	3.8%					(n/a)		23.8	5.6							7.1	7.1	$20,280	$779	$19,501

Frequently Asked Questions about Lee Early College

What schools feed into Lee Early College?

Lee Early College is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Broadway Elementary
Elementary : BT Bullock Elementary
Elementary : Deep River Elementary
Elementary : Greenwood Elementary
Elementary : J Glenn Edwards Elementary
Elementary : J R Ingram Junior Elementary
Elementary : Tramway Elementary
Middle : East Lee Middle
Middle : SanLee Middle School
Middle : West Lee Middle

What is the racial makeup of Lee Early College?

Students at Lee Early College are 50% Hispanic, 31% White, 10% African American, 6% Two or more races, 3% Asian.

What district is Lee Early College in?

Lee County Schools

How many students attend Lee Early College?

In the 2023-24 school year, 263 students attended Lee Early College.

Is Lee Early College a good school?

Yes. Lee Early College ranks in the top 5.5% of North Carolina high schools.

Rate Lee Early College!

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SchoolDigger data sources: National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, the U.S. Census Bureau and the North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMERS: Not all boundaries are included. We make every effort to ensure that boundaries are up-to-date. But it's important to note that these are approximations and are for general informational purposes only. To verify legal descriptions of boundaries or school locations, contact your local tax assessor's office and/or school district.