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Best public schools in Sanford, NC

22 public schools in Sanford: 9 elementary · 5 middle · 3 high · 1 K-8 · 4 combined. Ranked by our score, based on 2025-26 state test results.

Rankings renumber to share equal ranks and fill gaps when schools are hidden. Scores compare each school with schools of the same type across North Carolina.

Elementary schools

9 schools in Sanford, best first
1
Tramway Elementary 90.6
Lee County Schools · Grades K-5 · 559 students
ELA 73%Math 83%Science 83%
#118 of 1,256 in North Carolina
2
Greenwood Elementary 80.3
Lee County Schools · Grades K-5 · 556 students
ELA 61%Math 77%Science 80%
#248 of 1,256 in North Carolina
3
Benhaven Elementary 58.0
Harnett County Schools · Grades PK-5 · 1,031 students
ELA 55%Math 69%Science 62%
#528 of 1,256 in North Carolina
4
Highland Elementary 55.6
Harnett County Schools · Grades PK-5 · 894 students
ELA 57%Math 63%Science 65%
#558 of 1,256 in North Carolina
5
J R Ingram Jr Elementary 54.8
Lee County Schools · Grades K-5 · 400 students
ELA 56%Math 64%Science 63%
#568 of 1,256 in North Carolina
6
Deep River Elementary 51.0
Lee County Schools · Grades K-5 · 535 students
ELA 49%Math 69%Science 62%
#616 of 1,256 in North Carolina
7
BT Bullock Elementary 46.1
Lee County Schools · Grades K-5 · 487 students
ELA 50%Math 58%Science 72%
#677 of 1,256 in North Carolina
8
J Glenn Edwards Elementary 43.4
Lee County Schools · Grades K-5 · 519 students
ELA 48%Math 61%Science 67%
#711 of 1,256 in North Carolina
9
WB Wicker Elementary 28.4
Lee County Schools · Grades K-5 · 576 students
ELA 38%Math 55%Science 69%
#900 of 1,256 in North Carolina

Middle schools

5 schools in Sanford, best first
1
SanLee Middle School 64.5
Lee County Schools · Grades 6-8 · 791 students
ELA 54%Math 59%Science 78%
#164 of 460 in North Carolina
2
Ascend Leadership Remote Academy 62.1
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County · Grades 6-8 · Charter
ELA 74%Math 45%Science 66%
#175 of 460 in North Carolina
3
Highland Middle 38.4
Harnett County Schools · Grades 6-8 · 803 students
ELA 45%Math 48%Science 70%
#284 of 460 in North Carolina
4
West Lee Middle 33.6
Lee County Schools · Grades 6-8 · 583 students
ELA 45%Math 43%Science 65%
#306 of 460 in North Carolina
5
East Lee Middle 29.5
Lee County Schools · Grades 6-8 · 477 students
ELA 44%Math 44%Science 59%
#325 of 460 in North Carolina

High schools

3 schools in Sanford, best first
1
Lee Early College 92.1
Lee County Schools · Grades 9-13 · 263 students
ELA 98%Math 95%Science 86%
#41 of 512 in North Carolina
2
Southern Lee High School 17.9
Lee County Schools · Grades 9-12 · 1,185 students
ELA 40%Math 45%Science 50%
#421 of 512 in North Carolina
3
Lee County High 12.2
Lee County Schools · Grades 9-12 · 1,469 students
ELA 42%Math 41%Science 36%
#450 of 512 in North Carolina

K-8 schools

1 school in Sanford
1
Rising Leaders Academy 14.7
Rising Leaders Academy · Grades K-8 · Charter · 427 students
ELA 39%Math 42%Science 43%
#149 of 174 in North Carolina

Combined schools

4 schools in Sanford, best first
1
Central Carolina Academy 84.8
Central Carolina Academy · Grades 6-12 · Charter · 450 students
ELA 70%Math 77%Science 79%
#30 of 194 in North Carolina
2
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County 77.6
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County · Grades 6-12 · Charter · 599 students
ELA 70%Math 67%Science 78%
#44 of 194 in North Carolina
3
Bragg Street Academy 16.8
Lee County Schools · Grades 6-12 · 54 students
ELA 11%Math 11%Science 15%
#162 of 194 in North Carolina
4
Floyd L Knight Children Center 15.5
Lee County Schools · Grades PK-12 · 115 students
ELA 3%Math 15%
#164 of 194 in North Carolina

School districts serving Sanford

Nearby cities and towns