West Lee Middle

Summary:

West Lee Middle is a public middle school in Sanford, North Carolina, serving 607 students in grades 6-8. 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.

West Lee Middle faces significant academic challenges, consistently ranking in the bottom half of North Carolina middle schools with a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. The school's proficiency rates in mathematics and reading are significantly lower than the state and district averages, with only 22-33% of students proficient. Notably, the school has a higher percentage of Hispanic students (46.79%) compared to surrounding schools, and there are significant achievement gaps between different racial/ethnic groups. Additionally, West Lee Middle has a high percentage of students (70.51%) receiving free or reduced-price lunch, indicating a higher proportion of students from low-income families.

While West Lee Middle's performance is generally lower than the state and district averages, the nearby schools in the Lee County district also struggle, with proficiency rates below the state average. However, the schools in the neighboring Chatham County and Moore County districts, such as George M. Horton Middle and New Century Middle, significantly outperform West Lee Middle and the Lee County schools.


Detail:

Public 6-8

 3301 Wicker St
       Sanford, NC  27330


(919) 775-7351

District: Lee County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
697th of 793 North Carolina Middle Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $8,316 Help


Students who attend West Lee Middle usually attend:

High:    Lee Early College
    Southern Lee High School

Feeder schools for West Lee Middle:

Elementary:    J R Ingram Junior Elementary

Student/teacher ratio:  12.9 Help
Number of students:  607

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
46.8%
White:
25.7%
African American:
22.2%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  70.5% Help


 See top rated North Carolina middle schools

 Compare West Lee Middle to nearby middle schools!

Performance Trends
Help
Compare Details West Lee Middle ranks worse than 87.9% of middle schools in North Carolina. It also ranks last among 3 ranked middle schools in the Lee County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 16.14. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at West Lee Middle is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (46.8%), White (25.7%), African American (22.2%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 70.5% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at West Lee Middle is 12.9, which is the lowest among 3 middle schools in the Lee County Schools District! (See more...)
Help
Compare West Lee Middle employs 46.8 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at West Lee Middle is $8,316, which is the highest among 3 middle schools in the Lee County Schools District!
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

West Lee Middle:

SchoolDigger ranks West Lee Middle 697th of 793 North Carolina public middle schools. (See West Lee Middle in the ranking list.)

Middle School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Male students:
African American students:
Hispanic students:
White students:


Lee County Schools:

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


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Rank History for West Lee Middle

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Rank History for all students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 66.16 196th 598 67.2%
2007 68.48 187th 606 69.1%
2008 63.86 240th 620 61.3%
2009 69.04 197th 630 68.7%
2010 59.81 312th 640 51.3%
2011 57.17 328th 648 49.4%
2012 56.61 345th 662 47.9%
2013 58.03 257th 673 61.8%
2014 35.89 394th 627 37.2%
2015 42.95 410th 705 41.8%
2016 47.11 378th 692 45.4%
2017 46.63 399th 694 42.5%
2018 42.85 423rd 691 38.8%
2019 30.45 554th 737 24.8%
2021 28.12 532nd 741 28.2%
2022 27.50 587th 786 25.3%
2023 21.05 646th 784 17.6%
2024 16.14 697th 793 12.1%
See the entire list of North Carolina Middle School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2019 12.52 227th 237 4.2%
2021 48.04 116th 248 53.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 21.64 141st 151 6.6%
2019 26.42 183rd 211 13.3%
2021 26.36 202nd 236 14.4%
2022 16.48 304th 312 2.6%
2023 19.06 307th 318 3.5%
2024 17.62 344th 356 3.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 12.63 472nd 473 0.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.66 390th 604 35.4%
2019 28.77 496th 639 22.4%
2021 29.76 464th 633 26.7%
2022 29.25 517th 689 25.0%
2023 20.10 634th 735 13.7%
2024 16.84 675th 743 9.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Female students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 46.60 398th 656 39.3%
2019 30.49 522nd 684 23.7%
2021 27.88 515th 706 27.1%
2022 24.65 580th 733 20.9%
2023 16.57 647th 731 11.5%
2024 12.07 682nd 738 7.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.42 294th 475 38.1%
2019 29.61 395th 504 21.6%
2021 31.00 362nd 478 24.3%
2022 18.51 427th 449 4.9%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 74.16 7th 127 94.5%
2019 30.74 370th 416 11.1%
2021 21.38 416th 448 7.1%
2022 12.93 441st 450 2.0%
2023 16.06 441st 452 2.4%
2024 17.46 445th 461 3.5%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Male students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 36.37 453rd 665 31.9%
2019 26.71 550th 697 21.1%
2021 28.74 510th 711 28.3%
2022 28.64 548th 748 26.7%
2023 24.48 588th 747 21.3%
2024 19.76 631st 751 16.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 31.03 367th 494 25.7%
2019 21.06 466th 519 10.2%
2021 17.96 491st 533 7.9%
2022 16.60 509th 550 7.5%
2023 17.59 510th 559 8.8%
2024 19.52 495th 560 11.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 39.20 312th 472 33.9%
2019 25.27 415th 493 15.8%
2021 30.34 391st 522 25.1%
2022 24.46 444th 541 17.9%
2023 20.16 483rd 553 12.7%
2024 14.23 526th 564 6.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at West Lee Middle

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked Middle Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 69.84 167th 596 72.0%
2019 59.66 243rd 624 61.1%
2021 48.03 311th 632 50.8%
2022 41.18 396th 658 39.8%
2023 39.98 406th 656 38.1%
2024 29.98 495th 652 24.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina Middle 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.

West Lee Middle Test Scores
Tests: 
  
Grades: 
  
Years: 
  
Group by: 
District Scores:
State Scores:    
  
Subgroup: 





Data source: North Carolina Dept of Public Instruction

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Enrollment information for West Lee Middle

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Compare
Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
1988 597 233 7 1 1 n/a n/a 0 839
1989 582 255 5 2 2 n/a n/a 0 846
1990 589 227 4 4 3 n/a n/a 0 827
1991 615 239 3 4 4 n/a n/a 0 865
1992 603 230 4 2 5 n/a n/a 0 844
1993 632 244 2 9 5 n/a n/a 0 892
1994 668 262 2 18 3 n/a n/a 0 953
1995 714 257 3 37 4 n/a n/a 0 1015
1996 714 257 3 37 4 n/a n/a 0 1015
1997 741 249 8 47 4 n/a n/a 0 1049
1998 770 267 13 42 11 n/a n/a 0 1103
1999 648 259 10 71 7 n/a n/a 0 995
2000 581 245 11 84 6 n/a n/a 0 927
2001 620 280 12 125 3 n/a n/a 0 1040
2002 652 290 13 143 2 n/a n/a 0 1100
2003 652 290 13 143 2 n/a n/a 0 1100
2004 648 259 12 147 5 n/a n/a 0 1071
2005 622 273 10 170 9 n/a n/a 0 1084
2006 573 298 10 194 9 n/a n/a 0 1084
2007 602 275 12 192 8 n/a n/a 26 1115
2008 595 248 14 215 4 n/a n/a 36 1112
2009 343 190 11 183 2 n/a n/a 0 729
2010 306 189 13 180 2 n/a n/a 0 690
2011 333 180 11 172 3 2 14 0 715
2012 310 210 6 163 3 1 38 0 731
2013 338 196 8 192 1 0 14 0 749
2014 296 180 9 205 2 0 19 0 711
2015 316 179 11 232 2 0 21 0 761
2016 279 188 8 217 4 0 20 0 716
2017 235 186 9 229 6 0 25 0 690
2018 228 177 6 221 7 0 28 0 667
2019 214 174 4 246 5 0 27 0 670
2020 222 181 8 251 3 0 38 0 703
2021 200 175 9 252 3 0 30 0 669
2022 209 148 8 281 0 0 33 0 679
2023 156 135 3 284 2 2 25 0 607

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 West Lee Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 839 58.0 14.4 20
1989 846 58.0 14.5 29.4
1990 827 58.0 14.2 26.7
1991 865 58.0 14.9 25.5
1992 844 56.0 15.0 17.5
1993 892 58.0 15.4 21.2
1994 953 57.0 16.7 23.4
1995 1015 62.0 16.4 19.7
1996 1015 62.0 16.4 19.7
1997 1049 62.0 16.9 20.2
1998 1103 70.0 15.8 20.9
1999 995 70.0 14.2 25.6
2000 927 70.0 13.2 31.6
2001 1040 70.0 14.9 32.4
2002 1100 73.0 15.1 42.3
2003 1100 73.0 15.1 42.3
2004 1071 74.0 14.5 40.5
2005 1084 75.0 14.5 42.7
2006 1084 75.0 14.5 46.9
2007 1115 63.2 17.6 48.3
2008 1112 65.4 17.0 48.7
2009 729 43.5 16.8 49
2010 690 41.5 16.6 57.5
2011 715 43.2 16.5 54.3
2012 731 42.9 17.0 56.8
2013 749 45.1 16.5 58.2
2014 711 43.6 16.2 61.2
2015 761 45.0 16.9 62.4
2016 716 44.0 16.2 61.5
2017 690 44.7 15.4 66.5
2018 667 43.1 15.4 63
2019 670 45.0 14.8 66.6
2020 703 45.9 15.2 62
2021 669 44.5 15.0 53.7
2022 679 41.9 16.1 44.9
2023 607 46.8 12.9 70.5

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 West Lee Middle

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
1988 839 58.0 14.4 20
1989 846 58.0 14.5 29.4
1990 827 58.0 14.2 26.7
1991 865 58.0 14.9 25.5
1992 844 56.0 15.0 17.5
1993 892 58.0 15.4 21.2
1994 953 57.0 16.7 23.4
1995 1015 62.0 16.4 19.7
1996 1015 62.0 16.4 19.7
1997 1049 62.0 16.9 20.2
1998 1103 70.0 15.8 20.9
1999 995 70.0 14.2 25.6
2000 927 70.0 13.2 31.6
2001 1040 70.0 14.9 32.4
2002 1100 73.0 15.1 42.3
2003 1100 73.0 15.1 42.3
2004 1071 74.0 14.5 40.5
2005 1084 75.0 14.5 42.7
2006 1084 75.0 14.5 46.9
2007 1115 63.2 17.6 48.3
2008 1112 65.4 17.0 48.7
2009 729 43.5 16.8 49
2010 690 41.5 16.6 57.5
2011 715 43.2 16.5 54.3
2012 731 42.9 17.0 56.8
2013 749 45.1 16.5 58.2
2014 711 43.6 16.2 61.2
2015 761 45.0 16.9 62.4
2016 716 44.0 16.2 61.5
2017 690 44.7 15.4 66.5
2018 667 43.1 15.4 63
2019 670 45.0 14.8 66.6
2020 703 45.9 15.2 62
2021 669 44.5 15.0 53.7
2022 679 41.9 16.1 44.9
2023 607 46.8 12.9 70.5

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 West Lee Middle

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $876 (10.5%) $7,440 (89.5%) $8,316

Data source: North Carolina Department of Education
Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on West Lee Middle

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 554th of 737 Middle schoolsRanks 646th of 784 Middle schools
 7.2%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
6th Grade Mathematics (West Lee Middle)43.332.5
 10.8%
   6th Grade Mathematics (Lee County Schools)49.244.3
 4.9%
   6th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.852.3
 6.5%
6th Grade Reading (West Lee Middle)49.434
 15.4%
   6th Grade Reading (Lee County Schools)50.739.3
 11.4%
   6th Grade Reading (North Carolina)6049.3
 10.7%
7th Grade Mathematics (West Lee Middle)53.433.2
 20.2%
   7th Grade Mathematics (Lee County Schools)51.643.7
 7.9%
   7th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)58.450.1
 8.3%
7th Grade Reading (West Lee Middle)51.431.6
 19.8%
   7th Grade Reading (Lee County Schools)51.238.8
 12.4%
   7th Grade Reading (North Carolina)58.850.2
 8.6%
8th Grade Mathematics (West Lee Middle)35.626.4
 9.2%
   8th Grade Mathematics (Lee County Schools)39.332
 7.3%
   8th Grade Mathematics (North Carolina)52.644.8
 7.8%
8th Grade Reading (West Lee Middle)47.533.5
 14%
   8th Grade Reading (Lee County Schools)49.238
 11.2%
   8th Grade Reading (North Carolina)55.651
 4.6%
8th Grade Science (West Lee Middle)60.658.5
 2.1%
   8th Grade Science (Lee County Schools)72.263.4
 8.8%
   8th Grade Science (North Carolina)78.670.3
 8.3%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students670607
 9.4%
African American174135
 22.4%
American Indian52
 60%
Asian43
 25%
Hispanic246284
 15.4%
Pacific Islander02
White214156
 27.1%
Two or More Races2725
 7.4%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients66.6%70.5%
 3.9%


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Frequently Asked Questions about West Lee Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 607 students attended West Lee Middle.

West Lee Middle ranks in the bottom 12.1% of North Carolina middle schools.

Students at West Lee Middle are 47% Hispanic, 26% White, 22% African American, 4% Two or more races.

Students who attend West Lee Middle usually go on to attend 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.





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