Southern Lee High School

Summary:

Southern Lee High School is a public high school located in Sanford, North Carolina, serving grades 9-12 with a total enrollment of 1,234 students. The school is part of the Lee County Schools district, which is ranked 132 out of 242 districts in North Carolina and has a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

Southern Lee High School has a diverse student population, with 33.47% White, 18.56% African American, and 42.54% Hispanic students. However, the school's academic performance, as measured by End-of-Course (EOC) test scores, is generally lower than the state and district averages. For example, in the 2023-2024 school year, the school's proficiency rates were 43.1% in English II, 31.4% in Math I, and 48.4% in Math III, compared to the state averages of 59.7%, 36.9%, and 57.6%, respectively. As a result, Southern Lee High School has consistently ranked in the bottom half of North Carolina high schools, with a ranking of 426 out of 640 in the 2023-2024 school year and a 2-star rating from SchoolDigger.

When compared to nearby schools, Southern Lee High School generally underperforms. For example, Lee Early College, a school within the same district, has consistently outperformed Southern Lee High School, ranking in the top 5% of North Carolina high schools and earning a 5-star rating from SchoolDigger. However, Southern Lee High School has performed exceptionally well in serving its special education and homeless student populations, ranking in the top 10% of North Carolina high schools in these categories.


Detail:

Public 9-12

 2301 Tramway Road
       Sanford, NC  27332


(919) 718-2400

District: Lee County Schools

SchoolDigger Rank:
426th of 640 North Carolina High Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures:  $9,595 Help


Feeder schools for Southern Lee High School:

Elementary:    Greenwood Elementary
    J Glenn Edwards Elementary
    J R Ingram Junior Elementary
Middle:    SanLee Middle School
    West Lee Middle

Student/teacher ratio:  16.4 Help
Number of students:  1,234

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:
42.5%
White:
33.5%
African American:
18.6%
more

Free/discounted lunch recipients:  60.7% Help


 See top rated North Carolina high schools

 Compare Southern Lee High School to nearby high schools!

Performance Trends
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Compare Details Southern Lee High School ranks worse than 66.6% of high schools in North Carolina. It also ranks 2nd among 3 ranked high schools in the Lee County Schools District. (See more...)
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Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 32.27. (See more...)
Student Body
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Compare Details Student population at Southern Lee High School is diverse. Racial makeup is: Hispanic (42.5%), White (33.5%), African American (18.6%). (See more...)
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Compare Details 60.7% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. (See more...)
Teachers
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Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Southern Lee High School is 16.4. 2 high schools in the Lee County Schools District have better student/teacher ratios. (See more...)
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Compare Southern Lee High School employs 75 full-time teachers.
Finance
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Compare Details The average total spent per student at Southern Lee High School is $9,595, which is the 2nd highest among 3 high schools in the Lee County Schools District.
Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Southern Lee High School:

SchoolDigger ranks Southern Lee High School 426th of 640 North Carolina public high schools. (See Southern Lee High School in the ranking list.)

High School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:


Multi-racial students:
English Language Learner students:
Special Education students:
Low Socio Economic Status students:
Homeless students:
Female students:
Gifted and Talented students:
Military Connected 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 Southern Lee High School

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Compare

Rank History for all students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2006 40.01 304th 431 29.5%
2007 35.02 326th 453 28.0%
2008 43.47 299th 477 37.3%
2009 32.92 377th 490 23.1%
2010 33.37 387th 499 22.4%
2011 44.77 325th 506 35.8%
2012 31.27 367th 502 26.9%
2013 23.41 356th 505 29.5%
2014 19.88 352nd 451 22.0%
2015 24.86 368th 531 30.7%
2016 31.74 303rd 507 40.2%
2017 34.44 286th 476 39.9%
2018 33.91 303rd 469 35.4%
2019 31.51 337th 514 34.4%
2021 27.71 417th 594 29.8%
2022 37.93 368th 621 40.7%
2023 26.10 465th 626 25.7%
2024 32.27 426th 640 33.4%
See the entire list of North Carolina High School Rankings!

Rank History for Multi-racial students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2021 32.92 133rd 199 33.2%
2022 70.44 47th 226 79.2%
2024 49.54 129th 261 50.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Multi-racial Students!

Rank History for English Language Learner students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.96 86th 147 41.5%
2019 29.05 142nd 173 17.9%
2021 18.98 123rd 124 0.8%
2022 27.27 116th 156 25.6%
2023 14.58 226th 226 0.0%
2024 22.54 240th 262 8.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for English Language Learner Students!

Rank History for Special Education students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 77.74 30th 349 91.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Special Education Students!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 35.55 249th 424 41.3%
2019 33.29 268th 446 39.9%
2021 29.78 273rd 432 36.8%
2022 48.25 231st 544 57.5%
2023 31.15 405th 597 32.2%
2024 38.47 346th 613 43.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Homeless students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2024 84.19 2nd 47 95.7%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Homeless Students!

Rank History for Female students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 38.39 281st 449 37.4%
2019 33.30 321st 475 32.4%
2021 22.73 356th 475 25.1%
2022 36.00 371st 594 37.5%
2023 26.54 438th 588 25.5%
2024 34.20 400th 602 33.6%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Female Students!

Rank History for Disabled students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 25.14 283rd 349 18.9%
2019 23.30 308th 364 15.4%
2022 21.61 289th 330 12.4%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Disabled Students!

Rank History for Gifted and Talented students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 78.46 8th 100 92.0%
2019 37.61 243rd 325 25.2%
2021 28.87 271st 337 19.6%
2022 44.27 284th 398 28.6%
2023 23.47 363rd 403 9.9%
2024 39.58 311th 403 22.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Gifted and Talented Students!

Rank History for Military Connected students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2023 29.46 37th 48 22.9%
2024 11.67 47th 49 4.1%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Military Connected Students!

Rank History for Male students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 26.54 339th 463 26.8%
2019 27.22 345th 488 29.3%
2021 30.49 298th 481 38.0%
2022 38.26 344th 585 41.2%
2023 25.15 461st 602 23.4%
2024 29.80 431st 607 29.0%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 32.72 234th 359 34.8%
2019 31.18 251st 369 32.0%
2021 28.10 254th 364 30.2%
2022 36.30 240th 430 44.2%
2023 26.06 331st 434 23.7%
2024 37.46 250th 437 42.8%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for African American Students!

Rank History for Hispanic students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 29.07 249th 340 26.8%
2019 27.84 269th 354 24.0%
2021 28.95 256th 370 30.8%
2022 36.18 265th 436 39.2%
2023 28.34 332nd 449 26.1%
2024 35.58 276th 454 39.2%
See the entire list of Best North Carolina High Schools for Hispanic Students!

Rank History for White students at Southern Lee High School

Year Avg Standard Score Statewide Rank Total # Ranked High Schools NC State Percentile SchoolDigger Rating
2018 33.08 308th 427 27.9%
2019 36.54 268th 444 39.6%
2021 30.84 280th 439 36.2%
2022 42.44 304th 534 43.1%
2023 24.43 428th 537 20.3%
2024 34.55 380th 553 31.3%
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.

Southern Lee High School 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 Southern Lee High School

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Year White African American Asian Hispanic American Indian Pacific Islander Two or More Races Not Specified Total
2006 503 247 9 140 6 n/a n/a 0 905
2007 583 293 12 169 6 n/a n/a 27 1090
2008 572 279 14 214 9 n/a n/a 30 1118
2009 561 320 14 232 9 n/a n/a 0 1136
2010 542 316 11 237 8 n/a n/a 0 1114
2011 546 250 3 279 10 0 14 0 1102
2012 519 251 7 280 8 1 13 0 1079
2013 525 263 5 279 13 2 26 0 1113
2014 521 273 8 300 11 2 25 0 1140
2015 533 274 9 318 10 2 33 0 1179
2016 490 282 15 333 10 2 42 0 1174
2017 465 253 12 354 7 4 35 0 1130
2018 440 243 12 378 10 3 37 0 1123
2019 417 246 10 412 10 3 34 0 1132
2020 459 238 7 418 13 3 53 0 1191
2021 469 229 8 428 14 2 50 0 1200
2022 460 240 7 466 8 2 52 0 1235
2023 413 229 8 525 7 2 50 0 1234

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 Southern Lee High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2006 905 56.0 16.2 44.4
2007 1090 70.2 15.5 43.2
2008 1118 69.0 16.2 43.8
2009 1136 74.8 15.2 45.8
2010 1114 71.6 15.5 49.5
2011 1102 71.7 15.3 52.7
2012 1079 72.5 14.8 55.2
2013 1113 72.5 15.3 54.6
2014 1140 73.2 15.5 56.6
2015 1179 76.0 15.5 56.6
2016 1174 78.0 15.0 58.3
2017 1130 79.9 14.1 60.1
2018 1123 75.8 14.8 60.4
2019 1132 76.1 14.8 64
2020 1191 72.9 16.3 55.2
2021 1200 75.0 15.9 40.7
2022 1235 75.0 16.4 36.5
2023 1234 75.0 16.4 60.7

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 Southern Lee High School

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Compare
Year # Students Full-time Teachers Student/Teacher ratio % Free/Discounted Lunch
2006 905 56.0 16.2 44.4
2007 1090 70.2 15.5 43.2
2008 1118 69.0 16.2 43.8
2009 1136 74.8 15.2 45.8
2010 1114 71.6 15.5 49.5
2011 1102 71.7 15.3 52.7
2012 1079 72.5 14.8 55.2
2013 1113 72.5 15.3 54.6
2014 1140 73.2 15.5 56.6
2015 1179 76.0 15.5 56.6
2016 1174 78.0 15.0 58.3
2017 1130 79.9 14.1 60.1
2018 1123 75.8 14.8 60.4
2019 1132 76.1 14.8 64
2020 1191 72.9 16.3 55.2
2021 1200 75.0 15.9 40.7
2022 1235 75.0 16.4 36.5
2023 1234 75.0 16.4 60.7

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 Southern Lee High School

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YearExpenditures from Federal FundsExpenditures from State and Local FundsTotal Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019 $738 (7.7%) $8,857 (92.3%) $9,594

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

Impact of COVID-19 on Southern Lee High School

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 337th of 514 High schoolsRanks 465th of 626 High schools
 8.7%

Test Scores

% proficient
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
% proficient
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
End of Course Biology (Southern Lee High School)52.246.5
 5.7%
   End of Course Biology (Lee County Schools)49.549.6
 0.1%
   End of Course Biology (North Carolina)59.654.1
 5.5%
End of Course English II (Southern Lee High School)45.835
 10.8%
   End of Course English II (Lee County Schools)47.938.9
 9%
   End of Course English II (North Carolina)59.758.5
 1.2%
End of Course Math I (Southern Lee High School)33.827.8
 6%
   End of Course Math I (Lee County Schools)35.427
 8.4%
   End of Course Math I (North Carolina)41.235.9
 5.3%
End of Course Math III (Southern Lee High School)35.448
 12.6%
   End of Course Math III (Lee County Schools)34.956.1
 21.2%
   End of Course Math III (North Carolina)46.858.3
 11.5%

Student Body

Number of students
Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)
Number of students
Post pandemic (2022-2023)
Change (%)
Total Students11321234
 9%
African American246229
 6.9%
American Indian107
 30%
Asian108
 20%
Hispanic412525
 27.4%
Pacific Islander32
 33.3%
White417413
 1%
Two or More Races3450
 47.1%
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients64%60.7%
 3.3%


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Frequently Asked Questions about Southern Lee High School

Southern Lee High School ranks 426th of 640 North Carolina high schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 2 stars out of 5.

Students at Southern Lee High School are 43% Hispanic, 33% White, 19% African American, 4% Two or more races.

Southern Lee High School is fed by the following schools:

Elementary : Greenwood Elementary
Elementary : J Glenn Edwards Elementary
Elementary : J R Ingram Junior Elementary
Middle : SanLee Middle School
Middle : West Lee Middle

In the 2022-23 school year, 1,234 students attended Southern Lee High School.


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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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