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Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Summary:

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County is a public charter high school serving 547 students in grades 6-12 in Sanford, North Carolina. This high-performing school consistently outperforms the state average in academic proficiency across various subjects and grade levels, making it a standout institution in the region.

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County's academic prowess is particularly evident in its strong performance on 8th grade science (81.9% proficiency vs. 70.1% statewide) and English II (67.8% vs. 59.7% statewide) exams. The school also boasts impressive results on Math I and Math III end-of-course exams, with proficiency rates of 52.9% and 62%, respectively, compared to the state averages of 36.9% and 57.6%. Additionally, the school's African American, Hispanic, and special education student subgroups perform exceptionally well, ranking among the top high schools in Lee County Schools.

Compared to nearby schools like Chatham Central High, The Community Learning Center @ Pinckney, and STAR Academy, Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County stands out for its strong academic performance, particularly in mathematics and science. However, the school's nearby counterpart, Lee Early College, also demonstrates exceptional academic achievement, ranking 35 out of 640 high schools in North Carolina.


Detail:

Public, Charter 6-12

 283 Harvey Faulk Road
       Sanford, NC  27332

(919) 842-5411

District: Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

SchoolDigger Rank:
228th of 640 North Carolina High Schools


Student/teacher ratio:  13.8 Help
Number of students:  547

Racial breakdown:

White:
56.1%
Hispanic:
18.8%
African American:
12.8%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  16.6% Help


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Performance Trends
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Compare Details Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County ranks better than 72% of middle schools in North Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 68.13. (See more...)
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Compare Details Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County ranks better than 64.4% of high schools in North Carolina. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 61.07. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County is diverse. Racial makeup is: White (56.1%), Hispanic (18.8%), African American (12.8%). (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County is 13.8. (See more...)
Help
Compare Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County employs 39.5 full-time teachers.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County:

SchoolDigger ranks Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County 222nd of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:

SchoolDigger ranks Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County 228th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Military Connected students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County:

SchoolDigger ranks Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County 49th of 242 North Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)


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Rank History for Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

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Compare

Rank History for all middle school students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 43.59 437th 737 40.7%
2021 47.76 371st 741 49.9%
2022 57.97 312th 786 60.3%
2023 68.77 215th 784 72.6%
2024 68.13 222nd 793 72.0%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for middle school Multi-racial students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 61.66 101st 306 67.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for middle school Special Education students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 39.36 254th 473 46.3%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for middle school Low Socio Economic Status students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 21.28 550th 639 13.9%
2022 56.05 257th 689 62.7%
2023 68.71 164th 735 77.7%
2024 59.98 256th 743 65.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for middle school Female students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 54.18 318th 684 53.5%
2021 45.64 365th 706 48.3%
2022 57.11 287th 733 60.8%
2023 64.34 228th 731 68.8%
2024 67.60 210th 738 71.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for middle school Disabled students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2022 42.86 209th 449 53.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for middle school Military Connected students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 42.58 31st 48 35.4%
2021 14.96 54th 57 5.3%
2022 16.88 55th 58 5.2%
2023 37.38 35th 54 35.2%
2024 54.19 31st 58 46.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for middle school Male students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 33.93 489th 697 29.8%
2021 47.99 349th 711 50.9%
2022 55.69 314th 748 58.0%
2023 69.52 195th 747 73.9%
2024 66.40 222nd 751 70.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for middle school African American students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 49.68 235th 519 54.7%
2021 64.36 106th 533 80.1%
2022 67.79 109th 550 80.2%
2024 50.93 223rd 560 60.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for middle school Hispanic students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 30.82 381st 493 22.7%
2021 49.22 250th 522 52.1%
2022 62.30 163rd 541 69.9%
2023 79.82 61st 553 89.0%
2024 82.35 56th 564 90.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for middle school White students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 26.94 507th 624 18.8%
2021 30.91 460th 632 27.2%
2022 30.88 481st 658 26.9%
2023 43.61 374th 656 43.0%
2024 50.09 318th 652 51.2%
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

Rank History for Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Help
Compare

Rank History for all high school students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 57.23 246th 626 60.7%
2024 61.07 228th 640 64.4%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for high school Special Education students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 93.38 9th 349 97.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for high school Low Socio Economic Status students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 62.30 172nd 597 71.2%
2024 50.18 246th 613 59.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for high school Female students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 50.93 286th 588 51.4%
2024 61.98 213th 602 64.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for high school Military Connected students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 30.62 35th 48 27.1%
2024 53.61 23rd 49 53.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for high school Male students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 63.10 201st 602 66.6%
2024 59.37 227th 607 62.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for high school African American students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 82.87 68th 434 84.3%
2024 53.97 144th 437 67.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for high school Hispanic students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 49.10 188th 449 58.1%
2024 61.37 123rd 454 72.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for high school White students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 51.24 253rd 537 52.9%
2024 54.80 251st 553 54.6%
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.

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 
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Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2019 100 32 1 25 1 0 4 0 163
2020 207 45 2 42 3 0 21 0 320
2021 243 49 3 61 2 0 40 0 398
2022 285 43 5 92 3 0 46 0 474
2023 307 70 6 103 3 1 57 0 547

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 Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Help
Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2019 163 9.0 18.1 16.6
2020 320 21.1 15.1 n/a
2021 398 24.6 16.1 n/a
2022 474 33.4 14.1 n/a
2023 547 39.5 13.8 n/a

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 Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2019 163 9.0 18.1 16.6
2020 320 21.1 15.1 n/a
2021 398 24.6 16.1 n/a
2022 474 33.4 14.1 n/a
2023 547 39.5 13.8 n/a

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.
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

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.

Rankings

Rank
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Rank
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Ranks 437th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 215th of 784 Middle schools
 31.9%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 % proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County)56.666.3
 9.7%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County)66.360.5
 5.8%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County)43.657.1
 13.5%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County)47.455.8
 8.4%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)		 Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)		 Change (%)
Total Students163547
 235.6%
African American3270
 118.8%
American Indian13
 200%
Asian16
 500%
Hispanic25103
 312%
Pacific Islander01
White100307
 207%
Two or More Races457
 1325%

Schools Near Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County








Frequently Asked Questions about Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County

Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County ranks 228th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Students at Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County are 56% White, 19% Hispanic, 13% African American, 10% Two or more races, 1% Asian.

In the 2022-23 school year, 547 students attended Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County.


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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.




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