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Deep River Elementary

Q: Is Deep River Elementary a good school?

Deep River Elementary ranks 617 th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

Public Grades K-5

617^th

SchoolDigger Rank ?

of 1,490 North Carolina Elementary Schools

Better than 59% of North Carolina elementary schools

Summary

Deep River Elementary is a public elementary school in Sanford, North Carolina, serving 535 students in grades K-5. The school is part of the Lee County Schools district, which is ranked 153 out of 242 districts in the state.

Deep River Elementary has maintained a 3-star rating from SchoolDigger for most of the past decade, with a slight dip to a 2-star rating in the 2020-2021 school year. The school consistently outperforms the district and state in mathematics proficiency across grades 3-5, with proficiency rates ranging from 63.5% in 3rd grade to 71.6% in 5th grade. In reading, the school's performance is more mixed, with 3rd-grade proficiency lagging behind the district and state, but 4th and 5th-grade proficiency rates being on par or slightly higher. Additionally, the school's 5th-grade science proficiency is notably higher than the district and state, reaching 72.7% in 2024-2025.

Among the nearby schools in the Lee County Schools district, Deep River Elementary generally outperforms Broadway Elementary and J Glenn Edwards Elementary, particularly in mathematics and science proficiency. However, Tramway Elementary stands out as a high-performing school, consistently ranking in the top 25% of North Carolina elementary schools and outperforming Deep River Elementary in most subject areas.

557

Students ?

16.3

Student/teacher ratio ?

$9,663

Per pupil spending ?

96.8%

Free/discounted lunch ?

4000 Deep River Rd
Sanford, NC 27330

(919) 776-2722

District: Lee County Schools

Students who attend Deep River Elementary usually attend:

Middle:	East Lee Middle
High:	Lee County High
	Lee Early College

Racial breakdown:

Hispanic:

47.9%

White:

28.5%

African American:

15.4%

See top rated North Carolina elementary schools

Compare Deep River Elementary to nearby elementary schools!

At a glance

▲ Ranking trend: Improving — 34th percentile in 2015 → 59th in 2025

Strengths

✓Ranking is trending up — up 25 percentile points since 2015

✓Above the North Carolina median (59th percentile)

Worth a look

!Some student groups rank well below the school's overall statewide standing

Students meeting standards (2024-2025) ?

This school59%

District avg54%

North Carolina avg57%

617^th of 1,490

North Carolina public elementary schools ?

Top 41%▲ up 24 pts since 2015

From bottom 34% (2015) to top 41% (2025)

See the entire ranking list of North Carolina Elementary Schools →

★★★★★

SchoolDigger rating ?

3^rd of 7Elementary Schools in the Lee County Schools

153^rd of 242Lee County Schools among North Carolina districts

Statewide rank percentile over time (100 = the top-ranked school in the state; click a legend item to add a student group)

Show full rank history (all student groups)

All Students

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	56.7	617 of 1490	58.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	60.9	567 of 1505	62.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	62.8	536 of 1502	64.3%	★★★☆☆
2022	59.8	596 of 1514	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2021	30.1	1022 of 1489	31.4%	★★☆☆☆
2019	55.5	663 of 1473	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2018	61.7	552 of 1434	61.5%	★★★☆☆
2017	54.3	677 of 1429	52.6%	★★★☆☆
2016	50.8	719 of 1425	49.5%	★★☆☆☆
2015	38.3	948 of 1440	34.2%	★★☆☆☆
2014	29.9	1008 of 1390	27.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2013	43.7	767 of 1403	45.3%	★★☆☆☆
2012	32.2	1062 of 1388	23.5%	★☆☆☆☆
2011	37.4	957 of 1381	30.7%	★★☆☆☆
2010	26.6	1094 of 1363	19.7%	★☆☆☆☆
2009	43.8	868 of 1354	35.9%	★★☆☆☆
2008	45.0	805 of 1324	39.2%	★★☆☆☆
2007	48.3	773 of 1293	40.2%	★★☆☆☆
2006	67.7	375 of 1276	70.6%	★★★★☆

African American

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	63.6	252 of 918	72.5%	★★★★☆
2024	61.7	268 of 924	71.0%	★★★★☆
2023	80.5	108 of 933	88.4%	★★★★☆
2022	82.3	82 of 927	91.2%	★★★★★
2021	47.4	392 of 896	56.3%	★★★☆☆
2019	55.4	369 of 949	61.1%	★★★☆☆
2018	48.7	463 of 927	50.1%	★★★☆☆

Disabled

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2022	49.6	253 of 634	60.1%	★★★☆☆
2021	23.2	566 of 646	12.4%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	44.8	453 of 878	48.4%	★★☆☆☆
2018	48.6	393 of 897	56.2%	★★★☆☆

English Language Learner

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	64.0	130 of 563	76.9%	★★★★☆
2024	56.5	167 of 533	68.7%	★★★☆☆
2023	72.5	80 of 514	84.4%	★★★★☆
2022	66.3	83 of 485	82.9%	★★★★☆
2021	25.6	325 of 385	15.6%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	58.6	142 of 497	71.4%	★★★★☆
2018	67.1	84 of 421	80.0%	★★★★☆

Female

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	60.3	541 of 1451	62.7%	★★★☆☆
2024	58.3	573 of 1455	60.6%	★★★☆☆
2023	64.6	480 of 1459	67.1%	★★★☆☆
2022	53.7	656 of 1458	55.0%	★★★☆☆
2021	30.9	990 of 1440	31.3%	★★☆☆☆
2019	66.1	448 of 1424	68.5%	★★★☆☆
2018	59.3	604 of 1405	57.0%	★★★☆☆

Gifted and Talented

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	32.6	640 of 710	9.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2024	22.7	638 of 669	4.6%	☆☆☆☆☆
2023	28.3	542 of 582	6.9%	☆☆☆☆☆
2021	40.3	387 of 494	21.7%	★☆☆☆☆

Hispanic

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	55.6	391 of 961	59.3%	★★★☆☆
2024	64.9	275 of 951	71.1%	★★★★☆
2023	65.0	230 of 915	74.9%	★★★★☆
2022	61.4	260 of 893	70.9%	★★★★☆
2021	29.0	650 of 843	22.9%	★☆☆☆☆
2019	66.7	227 of 865	73.8%	★★★★☆
2018	79.2	112 of 851	86.8%	★★★★☆

Low Socio Economic Status

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	64.9	398 of 1437	72.3%	★★★★☆
2024	74.2	246 of 1450	83.0%	★★★★☆
2023	73.7	260 of 1437	81.9%	★★★★☆
2022	73.6	229 of 1366	83.2%	★★★★☆
2021	44.1	706 of 1329	46.9%	★★☆☆☆
2019	68.5	342 of 1361	74.9%	★★★★☆
2018	74.4	234 of 1332	82.4%	★★★★☆

Male

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	51.4	695 of 1450	52.1%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.5	538 of 1464	63.3%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.9	590 of 1461	59.6%	★★★☆☆
2022	66.3	450 of 1464	69.3%	★★★☆☆
2021	30.5	981 of 1444	32.1%	★★☆☆☆
2019	40.5	907 of 1430	36.6%	★★☆☆☆
2018	63.5	504 of 1413	64.3%	★★★☆☆

Special Education

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	64.0	187 of 821	77.2%	★★★★☆
2024	47.1	361 of 801	54.9%	★★★☆☆

White

Year	Avg score	Statewide rank	North Carolina percentile	Rating
2025	62.0	427 of 1172	63.6%	★★★☆☆
2024	61.1	442 of 1166	62.1%	★★★☆☆
2023	58.2	495 of 1183	58.2%	★★★☆☆
2022	69.3	329 of 1194	72.4%	★★★★☆
2021	54.4	508 of 1172	56.7%	★★★☆☆
2019	58.4	489 of 1183	58.7%	★★★☆☆
2018	70.7	325 of 1178	72.4%	★★★★☆

How student groups rank statewide ? (each group's percentile vs the same group at other schools — higher is better; the +/- beside each compares the group with this school's overall percentile)

Special Education (2025)77th percentile+19 vs school

English Language Learner (2025)77th percentile+18 vs school

African American (2025)73rd percentile+14 vs school

Low Socio Economic Status (2025)72nd percentile+14 vs school

White (2025)64th percentile+5 vs school

Female (2025)63rd percentile+4 vs school

Disabled (2022)60th percentile~ school

Hispanic (2025)59th percentile~ school

Male (2025)52nd percentile-7 vs school

Gifted and Talented (2025)10th percentile-49 vs school

By subject vs North Carolina (2024-2025) ?

Science73%+11 vs state

Mathematics68%+7 vs state

Reading46%-7 vs state

3.5

2 ratings · 2 written reviews

5★1

4★0

3★0

2★1

1★0

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What people are saying

by a parent
Friday, July 24, 2015

The school was fine until the 3rd and 5th grades. We experienced bullying and nothing was done about it. Another kid had to change schools. If it's the same kid bullying multiple children then that kid should be dealt with. Instead the rest of us had to just deal with it. We also experienced VERY inappropriate behavior from a teacher who picked on and lied about several children. At least she was caught. Close Quote

by a parent
Sunday, July 28, 2013

My child just finished 5th grade at Deep River and it was a wonderful experience. The teachers are youthful, energetic, and really care about the success of their students. For the first year, I wasn't receiving calls about my son getting in trouble every other day. Also, after years of test struggles, my son passed everyone of this tests. Thank you Deep River for everything. Close Quote

Schools Near Deep River Elementary

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

School													Students/Teachers											Ranking (2025)				Ranking (2024)				EOG Mathematics (2025)						EOG Reading (2025)						EOG Science (2025)		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 (2025)	Statewide Rank (2025)	State Percentile (2025)	SchoolDigger Rating (2025)	Average Standard Score (2024)	Statewide Rank (2024)	State Percentile (2024)	Rank Change from Previous Year	EOG Mathematics 3rd Grade	EOG Mathematics 4th Grade	EOG Mathematics 5th Grade	EOG Mathematics 6th Grade	EOG Mathematics 7th Grade	EOG Mathematics 8th Grade	EOG Reading 3rd Grade	EOG Reading 4th Grade	EOG Reading 5th Grade	EOG Reading 6th Grade	EOG Reading 7th Grade	EOG Reading 8th Grade	EOG Science 5th Grade	EOG Science 8th Grade	Per Pupil Expenditures Total	Sub-total from Federal Funds	Sub-total from State/Local Funds
Deep River Elementary	Public	K-5	4000 Deep River Rd	Sanford	27330	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 776-2722	557	34	16.3	96.8%	159 (28.5%)	86 (15.4%)	267 (47.9%)	5 (0.9%)	2 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	38 (6.8%)	56.7	617^th of 1490 public elementary schools	58.6%		60.9	567^th of 1505 public elementary schools	62.3%	50	63.5	68.2	71.6				30.2	55.3	53.4				72.7		$9,663	$1,381	$8,282
Moncure School	Public	K-8	600 Moncure School Road	Moncure	27559	Chatham County	Chatham County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 542-3725	176	14	13.0	98.3%	98 (55.7%)	23 (13.1%)	44 (25.0%)	1 (0.6%)	1 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	9 (5.1%)	44.8	837^th of 1490 public elementary schools	43.8%		47.2	795^th of 1505 public elementary schools	47.2%	42	23.8	52.4	64.3	66.7	54.5	61.9	9.5	66.7	57.1	66.7	68.2	61.9	50.0	61.9	$11,877	$805	$11,072
BT Bullock Elementary	Public	K-5	1410 McNeill Road	Sanford	27330	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 718-0160	511	34	15.1	99.4%	173 (33.9%)	100 (19.6%)	213 (41.7%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.7%)	39.5	926^th of 1490 public elementary schools	37.9%		47.6	788^th of 1505 public elementary schools	47.6%	138	45.3	61.7	50.0				31.8	56.8	50.0				62.5		$10,085	$1,594	$8,491
WB Wicker Elementary	Public	K-5	900 S Vance St	Sanford	27330	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 897-5400	588	42	14.1	99.1%	48 (8.2%)	211 (35.9%)	299 (50.9%)	3 (0.5%)	3 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	24 (4.1%)	27.1	1133^rd of 1490 public elementary schools	24.0%		31.3	1079^th of 1505 public elementary schools	28.3%	54	36.8	54.1	51.7				23.2	51.0	33.7				55.1
J R Ingram Junior Elementary	Public	K-5	3309 Wicker St	Sanford	27330	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 774-3772	419	30	13.9	99.3%	163 (38.9%)	95 (22.7%)	126 (30.1%)	2 (0.5%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	32 (7.6%)	42.1	877^th of 1490 public elementary schools	41.1%		48.9	764^th of 1505 public elementary schools	49.2%	113	70.3	52.3	42.9				48.4	56.8	45.7				45.7		$9,063	$1,217	$7,846
Pittsboro Elementary	Public	PK, KG-4	375 Pittsboro School Road	Pittsboro	27312	Chatham County	Chatham County Schools	No	No	No	No	(919) 542-3987	503	38	13.3	99.4%	275 (54.7%)	108 (21.5%)	74 (14.7%)	5 (1.0%)	1 (0.2%)	0 (0.0%)	40 (8.0%)	73.7	334^th of 1490 public elementary schools	77.6%		77.9	284^th of 1505 public elementary schools	81.1%	50	69.4	71.4					52.9	70.4							$11,009	$698	$10,311
Rising Leaders Academy	Public, Charter	K-8	2732 Industrial Drive	Sanford	27332	Lee County	Rising Leaders Academy	Yes	No	No	Yes	(919) 745-1442	282	28	9.9	98.2%	55 (19.5%)	107 (37.9%)	84 (29.8%)	4 (1.4%)	1 (0.4%)	0 (0.0%)	31 (11.0%)	18	1315^th of 1490 public elementary schools	11.7%		27.8	1144^th of 1505 public elementary schools	24.0%	171	22.7	48.5	18.9	47.1	63.6		22.7	48.5	37.8	52.9	45.5		40.5
J S Waters School	Public	K-8	55 J S Waters School Road	Goldston	27252	Chatham County	Chatham County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 898-2259	222	18	12.4	98.6%	144 (64.9%)	24 (10.8%)	35 (15.8%)	1 (0.5%)	0 (0.0%)	0 (0.0%)	18 (8.1%)	64.9	488^th of 1490 public elementary schools	67.2%		65.3	483^rd of 1505 public elementary schools	67.9%	5	65.0	59.3	92.9	52.2	57.9	33.3	50.0	51.9	67.9	47.8	47.4	55.6	85.7	55.6	$12,630	$1,275	$11,355
J Glenn Edwards Elementary	Public	K-5	3115 Cemetery Rd	Sanford	27332	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 774-3733	587	36	16.4	99.5%	179 (30.5%)	98 (16.7%)	272 (46.3%)	7 (1.2%)	1 (0.2%)	2 (0.3%)	28 (4.8%)	41.6	888^th of 1490 public elementary schools	40.4%		54.8	664^th of 1505 public elementary schools	55.9%	224	63.9	54.9	55.5				38.0	42.4	45.5				61.8		$9,176	$1,462	$7,714
Broadway Elementary	Public	PK, KG-5	307 S Main St	Broadway	27505	Lee County	Lee County Schools	No	No	No	Yes	(919) 258-3828	490	31	15.5	96.9%	150 (30.6%)	80 (16.3%)	237 (48.4%)	0 (0.0%)	3 (0.6%)	0 (0.0%)	20 (4.1%)	18.4	1310^th of 1490 public elementary schools	12.1%		14.9	1364^th of 1505 public elementary schools	9.4%	54	53.1	41.7	48.7				27.2	37.5	27.6				39.5		$9,542	$1,101	$8,441

Frequently Asked Questions about Deep River Elementary

How many students attend Deep River Elementary?

In the 2024-25 school year, 557 students attended Deep River Elementary.

What is the racial makeup of Deep River Elementary?

Students at Deep River Elementary are 48% Hispanic, 29% White, 15% African American, 7% Two or more races.

What schools do graduates of Deep River Elementary attend?

Students who attend Deep River Elementary usually go on to attend:

Middle : East Lee Middle
High : Lee County High
High : Lee Early College

Is Deep River Elementary a good school?

Deep River Elementary ranks 617^th of 1490 North Carolina elementary schools. SchoolDigger rates this school 3 stars out of 5.

What district is Deep River Elementary in?

Lee County Schools

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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.