Is Lower Lee Elementary a good school?

Lower Lee Elementary ranks 473 rd of 638 South Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 1 star out of 5.

How many students attend Lower Lee Elementary?

In the 2022-23 school year, 175 students attended Lower Lee Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Lower Lee Elementary?

Students at Lower Lee Elementary are 93% African American, 4% White, 3% Hispanic.

What schools do graduates of Lower Lee Elementary attend?

Students who attend Lower Lee Elementary usually go on to attend: Middle : Lee Central Middle High : Lee Central High

Lower Lee Elementary

Summary:

Lower Lee Elementary is a public elementary school in Mayesville, South Carolina, serving 175 students in grades PK-5, and is part of the Lee 01 School District, which is ranked 73 out of 75 districts in the state.

Despite spending significantly more per student ($22,810 in 2022-2023) compared to the state average and nearby schools, West Lee Elementary and Dennis Elementary, Lower Lee Elementary has consistently underperformed on standardized tests, with only 47.6% of 4th-grade students and 46.1% of 5th-grade students proficient or better in English Language Arts, and just 28.5% of 4th-graders and 26.9% of 5th-graders meeting or exceeding mathematics standards, compared to the state averages. The school has a 1-star rating from SchoolDigger and ranks in the bottom 25% of South Carolina elementary schools.

While Lower Lee Elementary's African American students perform better than the overall school, the school still struggles to meet the needs of its low socioeconomic status students, with 100% of students qualifying for free or reduced-price lunch. However, the nearby Liberty STEAM Charter School, which serves a diverse student population, has demonstrated stronger academic performance, particularly in English Language Arts, suggesting that innovative educational approaches may be a path forward for improving outcomes at Lower Lee Elementary and other struggling schools in the region.

Detail:

Public PK, KG-5

5142 St. Charles Road
Mayesville, SC 29104

(803) 428-3637

District: Lee 01

SchoolDigger Rank:
473^rd of 638 South Carolina Elementary Schools

Per Pupil Expenditures: $22,810

Students who attend Lower Lee Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	Lee Central Middle
High:	Lee Central High

Student/teacher ratio: 9.2

Number of students: 175

Racial breakdown:

African American:

92.6%

White:

4.0%

Hispanic:

2.9%

Free/discounted lunch recipients: 100%

See top rated South Carolina elementary schools

Compare Lower Lee Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

Performance Trends

Compare Details Lower Lee Elementary ranks worse than 74.1% of elementary schools in South Carolina. (See more...)

Compare Details In 2024 the calculated Average Standard Score was 26.09. (See more...)

Student Body

Compare Details Racial makeup is: African American (92.6%), White (4%), Hispanic (2.9%). (See more...)

Compare Details 100% of students are receiving a free or discounted lunch. This is the lowest percentage in the Lee 01 School District. (See more...)

Teachers

Compare Details The student/teacher ratio at Lower Lee Elementary is 9.2, which is the lowest among 3 elementary schools in the Lee 01 School District! (See more...)

Compare Lower Lee Elementary employs 19 full-time teachers.

Finance

Compare Details The average total spent per student at Lower Lee Elementary is $22,810, which is the highest among 3 elementary schools in the Lee 01 School District!

Schooldigger 2024 Rankings:

Lower Lee Elementary:

SchoolDigger ranks Lower Lee Elementary 473^rd of 638 South Carolina public elementary schools. (See Lower Lee Elementary in the ranking list.)

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

African American students:

Lee 01:

SchoolDigger ranks Lee 01 73^rd of 75 South Carolina school districts. (See district ranking list.)

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Rank History for Lower Lee Elementary

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Rank History for all students at Lower Lee Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2003	2.93	538^th	542	0.7%
2004	10.96	515^th	550	6.4%
2005	9.89	534^th	557	4.1%
2006	10.24	528^th	559	5.5%
2007	3.49	560^th	566	1.1%
2008	3.31	573^rd	577	0.7%
2009	2.90	576^th	580	0.7%
2010	5.96	574^th	589	2.5%
2011	2.97	593^rd	597	0.7%
2012	13.52	547^th	594	7.9%
2013	1.75	594^th	599	0.8%
2014	4.74	615^th	630	2.4%
2015	9.20	622^nd	638	2.5%
2016	7.51	594^th	619	4.0%
2017	9.95	606^th	639	5.2%
2018	17.79	531^st	624	14.9%
2019	10.54	598^th	643	7.0%
2022	10.23	579^th	625	7.4%
2023	24.28	495^th	644	23.1%
2024	26.09	473^rd	638	25.9%

See the entire list of South Carolina Elementary School Rankings!

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lower Lee Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	28.12	457^th	588	22.3%
2019	13.61	554^th	600	7.7%
2022	16.21	531^st	600	11.5%
2023	38.58	394^th	608	35.2%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Low Socio Economic Status Students!

Rank History for Male students at Lower Lee Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile	SchoolDigger Rating
2018	13.76	523^rd	571	8.4%
2019	7.67	569^th	590	3.6%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for Male Students!

Rank History for African American students at Lower Lee Elementary

Year	Avg Standard Score	Statewide Rank	Total # Ranked Elementary Schools	SC State Percentile
2018	47.71	210^th	412	49.0%
2019	30.86	325^th	421	22.8%
2022	28.31	307^th	393	21.9%
2023	51.08	179^th	394	54.6%
2024	57.27	139^th	369	62.3%

See the entire list of Best South Carolina Elementary Schools for African American Students!

Data source: test scores: South Carolina Department of Education, 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: South Carolina Department of Education

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Enrollment information for Lower Lee Elementary

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Year	White	African American	Asian	Hispanic	Pacific Islander	Two or More Races	Not Specified	Total
1988	1	275	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	276
1989	0	275	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	275
1990	0	271	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	271
1991	4	322	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	326
1992	1	215	0	3	n/a	n/a	0	219
1993	0	198	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	198
1994	0	194	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	194
1995	0	263	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	263
1996	0	263	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	263
1997	2	269	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	272
1998	3	283	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	286
1999	3	256	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	259
2000	1	249	0	0	n/a	n/a	0	250
2001	1	239	0	1	n/a	n/a	0	241
2002	6	267	0	6	n/a	n/a	0	279
2003	6	267	0	6	n/a	n/a	0	279
2004	5	384	0	7	n/a	n/a	0	396
2005	1	361	1	10	n/a	n/a	0	373
2006	2	334	0	8	n/a	n/a	0	344
2007	1	292	0	7	n/a	n/a	0	300
2008	4	285	0	10	n/a	n/a	0	299
2009	5	304	0	11	n/a	n/a	0	320
2010	3	288	0	5	n/a	n/a	1	297
2011	7	276	0	3	0	0	0	286
2012	7	244	0	3	0	0	0	254
2013	7	217	0	3	0	0	0	227
2014	8	232	0	2	0	1	0	243
2015	5	243	0	1	0	0	0	249
2016	1	238	0	1	0	0	0	240
2017	5	213	0	0	0	2	1	221
2018	8	214	0	0	0	2	0	224
2019	5	203	0	0	0	1	0	209
2020	4	210	0	1	0	1	0	216
2021	1	166	0	2	0	0	0	169
2022	2	140	0	1	0	1	0	144
2023	7	162	0	5	0	1	0	175

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 Lower Lee Elementary

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Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	276	16.4	16.8	n/a
1989	275	14.3	19.2	n/a
1990	271	14.2	19.0	n/a
1991	326	14.1	23.1	76.1
1992	219	11.8	18.5	86.3
1993	198	12.0	16.5	89.4
1994	194	16.0	12.1	85.1
1995	263	15.0	17.5	90.5
1996	263	15.0	17.5	90.5
1997	272	14.0	19.4	91.2
1998	286	15.0	19.1	94.8
1999	259	15.0	17.3	95
2000	250	18.0	13.9	91.2
2001	241	17.0	14.2	91.7
2002	279	20.5	13.6	93.2
2003	279	20.5	13.6	93.2
2004	396	26.0	15.2	90.9
2005	373	26.0	14.3	93
2006	344	23.5	14.6	93.6
2007	300	33.8	8.9	86
2008	299	21.0	14.2	94
2009	320	21.0	15.2	87.2
2010	297	18.0	16.5	93.6
2011	286	16.0	17.8	82.9
2012	254	16.0	15.8	75.6
2013	227	15.0	15.1	60.8
2014	243	17.0	14.2	80.2
2015	249	17.0	14.6	92
2016	240	17.0	14.1	94.2
2017	221	16.0	13.8	100
2018	224	14.0	16.0	100
2019	209	9.5	22.0	100
2020	216	17.0	12.7	100
2021	169	16.0	10.5	100
2022	144	14.5	9.9	100
2023	175	19.0	9.2	100

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 Lower Lee Elementary

Compare

Year	# Students	Full-time Teachers	Student/Teacher ratio	% Free/Discounted Lunch
1988	276	16.4	16.8	n/a
1989	275	14.3	19.2	n/a
1990	271	14.2	19.0	n/a
1991	326	14.1	23.1	76.1
1992	219	11.8	18.5	86.3
1993	198	12.0	16.5	89.4
1994	194	16.0	12.1	85.1
1995	263	15.0	17.5	90.5
1996	263	15.0	17.5	90.5
1997	272	14.0	19.4	91.2
1998	286	15.0	19.1	94.8
1999	259	15.0	17.3	95
2000	250	18.0	13.9	91.2
2001	241	17.0	14.2	91.7
2002	279	20.5	13.6	93.2
2003	279	20.5	13.6	93.2
2004	396	26.0	15.2	90.9
2005	373	26.0	14.3	93
2006	344	23.5	14.6	93.6
2007	300	33.8	8.9	86
2008	299	21.0	14.2	94
2009	320	21.0	15.2	87.2
2010	297	18.0	16.5	93.6
2011	286	16.0	17.8	82.9
2012	254	16.0	15.8	75.6
2013	227	15.0	15.1	60.8
2014	243	17.0	14.2	80.2
2015	249	17.0	14.6	92
2016	240	17.0	14.1	94.2
2017	221	16.0	13.8	100
2018	224	14.0	16.0	100
2019	209	9.5	22.0	100
2020	216	17.0	12.7	100
2021	169	16.0	10.5	100
2022	144	14.5	9.9	100
2023	175	19.0	9.2	100

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 Lower Lee Elementary

Year	Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from Federal Funds	Total Expenditures from Federal Funds	Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures from State and Local Funds	Total Expenditures Per Pupil (All Funds)
2019	$4,481 (27.5%)	$1,721 (10.5%)	$6,201 (38.0%)	$7,811 (47.9%)	$2,303 (14.1%)	$10,115 (62.0%)	$16,316
2020	$4,915 (32.0%)	$1,549 (10.1%)	$6,464 (42.1%)	$7,213 (47.0%)	$1,674 (10.9%)	$8,887 (57.9%)	$15,351
2022	$928 (5.7%)	$1,776 (10.9%)	$2,704 (16.5%)	$10,611 (64.9%)	$3,028 (18.5%)	$13,639 (83.5%)	$16,343
2023	$1,404 (6.2%)	$765 (3.4%)	$2,170 (9.5%)	$15,784 (69.2%)	$4,856 (21.3%)	$20,640 (90.5%)	$22,810

Data source: South Carolina Department of Education

Pre and Post Pandemic Data

Impact of COVID-19 on Lower Lee Elementary

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 598^th of 643 Elementary schools	Ranks 495^th of 644 Elementary schools	16.1%

Test Scores

	% proficient Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	% proficient Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lower Lee Elementary)	33.3	50	16.7%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (Lee 01)	28.1	32.1	4%
3rd Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	49.7	53.5	3.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lower Lee Elementary)	33.3	46.4	13.1%
3rd Grade Mathematics (Lee 01)	29.6	24.8	4.8%
3rd Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	57.7	53.6	4.1%
4th Grade Science (Lower Lee Elementary)	20	25	5%
4th Grade Science (Lee 01)	19.9	14.8	5.1%
4th Grade Science (South Carolina)	52	46.6	5.4%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lower Lee Elementary)	25.7	39.3	13.6%
4th Grade English Language Arts (Lee 01)	29.1	34.1	5%
4th Grade English Language Arts (South Carolina)	51.3	57.2	5.9%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lower Lee Elementary)	14.3	35.7	21.4%
4th Grade Mathematics (Lee 01)	17.3	28.4	11.1%
4th Grade Mathematics (South Carolina)	50.5	47	3.5%

Student Body

	Number of students Pre-pandemic (2018-2019)	Number of students Post pandemic (2022-2023)	Change (%)
Total Students	209	175	16.3%
African American	203	162	20.2%
American Indian	0	0
Asian	0	0
Hispanic	0	5
Pacific Islander	0	0
White	5	7	40%
Two or More Races	1	1
% Free/Discounted Lunch Recipients	100%	100%

Schools Near Lower Lee Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2024)				Ranking (2023)				SC READY English Language Arts (2024)						SC READY Mathematics (2024)						Per Pupil Expenditures (2023)
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	SC READY English Language Arts 3rd Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 4th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 5th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 6th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 7th Grade	SC READY English Language Arts 8th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 3rd Grade	SC READY Mathematics 4th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 5th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 6th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 7th Grade	SC READY Mathematics 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures: Total	Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Non-Personnel Spending from Federal Funds	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Personnel Spending from State and Local Funds	Non-Personnel from State and Local Funds	Sub-total Spending from State and Local Funds
Lower Lee Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5142 St. Charles Road	Mayesville	29104	Sumter County	Lee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 428-3637	175	19	9.2	100.0%	7 (4.0%)	162 (92.6%)	5 (2.9%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.6%)	26.1	473^rd of 638 public elementary schools	25.9%		24.3	495^th of 644 public elementary schools	23.1%	22		47.6	46.1					28.5	26.9				$22,810	$1,404	$765	$2,170	$15,784	$4,856	$20,640
Dennis Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	321 Roland Street	Bishopville	29010	Lee County	Lee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 483-1005	393	30	13.1	100.0%	30 (7.6%)	345 (87.8%)	12 (3.1%)	0 (0.0%)	1 (0.3%)	2 (0.5%)	3 (0.8%)	10.6	591^st of 638 public elementary schools	7.4%		6.1	632^nd of 644 public elementary schools	1.9%	41	17.0	27.8	41.0				21.1	24.1	28.2				$18,442	$1,418	$1,006	$2,424	$11,590	$4,428	$16,018
Crosswell Drive Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	301 Crosswell Drive	Sumter	29150	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 775-0679	460	34	13.5	100.0%	23 (5.0%)	387 (84.1%)	42 (9.1%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	7 (1.5%)	12.6	571^st of 638 public elementary schools	10.5%		10.9	597^th of 644 public elementary schools	7.3%	26	30.7	27.7	36.6				33.8	27.7	19.7				$11,984	$1,941	$867	$2,807	$8,152	$1,025	$9,177
R. E. Davis College Preparatory Academy	Public	PK, KG-8	345 Eastern School Road	Sumter	29153	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 495-3247	369	33	11.3	100.0%	36 (9.8%)	315 (85.4%)	12 (3.3%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	6 (1.6%)	9.6	607^th of 638 public elementary schools	4.9%		4.4	640^th of 644 public elementary schools	0.6%	33	22.3	13.6	28.6	33.4	19.2	34.2	44.5	14.0	11.2	9.3	2.1	5.3	$13,834	$1,956	$979	$2,935	$9,727	$1,172	$10,899
West Lee Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	55 West Lee School Road	Rembert	29128	Sumter County	Lee 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 428-3147	100	10	10.0	100.0%	12 (12.0%)	83 (83.0%)	5 (5.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)								(n/a)													$21,078	$1,073	$853	$1,926	$15,702	$3,450	$19,152
Lamar-Spaulding Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	5232 Lamar Highway 401	Lamar	29069	Darlington County	Darlington 01	No	No	No	Yes	(843) 398-6370	466	35	13.3	100.0%	180 (38.6%)	232 (49.8%)	10 (2.1%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	41 (8.8%)	50.1	314^th of 638 public elementary schools	50.8%		55.3	278^th of 644 public elementary schools	56.8%	36	52.6	60.0	50.0				59.2	42.9	38.1
Willow Drive Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	26 Willow Drive	Sumter	29150	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 773-5796	551	32	17.2	100.0%	60 (10.9%)	431 (78.2%)	29 (5.3%)	11 (2.0%)	1 (0.2%)	3 (0.5%)	16 (2.9%)	10.9	588^th of 638 public elementary schools	7.8%		8.6	617^th of 644 public elementary schools	4.2%	29	34.7	20.1	34.6				33.3	15.1	21.8				$11,002	$1,543	$758	$2,301	$7,976	$726	$8,701
Liberty STEAM Charter School	Public, Charter	K-3	15 Church Street	Sumter	29150	Sumter County	School Public Charter School District	Yes	No	No	No	(803) 830-5966	331	19	17.6	74.3%	145 (43.8%)	150 (45.3%)	15 (4.5%)	3 (0.9%)	2 (0.6%)	1 (0.3%)	15 (4.5%)								(n/a)	56.8						41.8
Lemira Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	952 Fulton Street	Sumter	29150	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 775-0658	402	27	14.8	100.0%	22 (5.5%)	337 (83.8%)	31 (7.7%)	2 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	10 (2.5%)	10.2	598^th of 638 public elementary schools	6.3%		9.5	610^th of 644 public elementary schools	5.3%	12	26.7	27.6	36.5				31.7	17.3	19.1				$13,366	$2,386	$1,164	$3,549	$8,891	$926	$9,817
Alice Drive Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	251 Alice Drive	Sumter	29150	Sumter County	Sumter 01	No	No	No	Yes	(803) 775-0857	560	37	15.1	100.0%	279 (49.8%)	225 (40.2%)	23 (4.1%)	18 (3.2%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	13 (2.3%)	76.3	145^th of 638 public elementary schools	77.3%		74.7	157^th of 644 public elementary schools	75.6%	12	59.0	66.3	65.5				65.4	74.2	51.8				$10,749	$1,159	$698	$1,857	$8,157	$734	$8,891

Lower Lee Elementary

Lower Lee Elementary:

Elementary School Test Score Ratings by Student Subgroup:

Lee 01:

What do you think?

Rank History for Lower Lee Elementary

Rank History for all students at Lower Lee Elementary

Rank History for Low Socio Economic Status students at Lower Lee Elementary

Rank History for Male students at Lower Lee Elementary

Rank History for African American students at Lower Lee Elementary

Enrollment information for Lower Lee Elementary

Students eligible for free or discounted lunch at Lower Lee Elementary

Student/Teacher Ratio Lower Lee Elementary

Per Pupil Expenditures for Lower Lee Elementary

Impact of COVID-19 on Lower Lee Elementary

Rankings

Test Scores

Student Body

Schools Near Lower Lee Elementary