Summary:
ZIP code 27332 in the Sanford/Lee County, NC area contains two very different public high schools: Southern Lee High School, a large traditional school serving 1,180 students in grades 9-12 as part of Lee County Schools, and Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County, a charter school serving 628 students in grades 6-12 that operates as its own district.
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County is the clear academic standout. It ranks 205th out of 662 public high schools statewide in 2025-2026, placing in the 69th percentile with a 3-star rating, and its LEA district, also named Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County, ranks 40th out of 246 districts (84th percentile, 4 stars). Ascend beats state averages in Biology (75.2% proficient), English II (78.0%), and Math III (84.9%), and it posts a 92.4% graduation rate, 16.6% chronic absenteeism, and a 13.5:1 student-teacher ratio. In contrast, Southern Lee High School ranks 524th out of 662 (21st percentile, 1 star) and falls below state averages in every EOC subject.
Southern Lee faces meaningful challenges: its state ranking has slid from the 33rd percentile in 2023-2024 to the 21st percentile in 2025-2026, chronic absenteeism is high at 25.6%, and English II and Math I proficiency are particular weak spots (39.8% and 27.7%, respectively). The school serves a nearly all-low-income student body, with 99.75% of students eligible for free/reduced lunch. Even so, its 90.1% graduation rate tops the state average of 88.8%. Ascend's only clear concern is Math I proficiency at 39.2%, slightly below the state average despite strong middle-school math scores. Overall, parents here face a stark choice between a charter school with higher academics and lower absenteeism and a traditional high school working hard to graduate students amid economic hardship.
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