Mahadev Maitri Foundation
US Initiatives
Middle· 16 schools in district

SanLee Middle School

2309 Tramway Rd, Sanford, NC 27332Lee County Schools
Federal DataRegular SchoolGrades 0608Non-Charter
809
Students
Total enrolled
$12,597
Per-Pupil Spend
Nat'l avg $14,347
12% vs nat'l
15.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
Nat'l avg 15.4:1
~avg
Large public school
Serves 809 students in grades 06–08 in Sanford, North Carolina.
12% below average funding
District spends $12,597 per pupil, 12% less than the national average of $14,347.
15.3 : 1 student-teacher ratio
This is near the national average of 15.4:1.
About This School

SanLee Middle School is a large middle in Sanford, North Carolina, serving grades 06–08 with 809 students. The district invests $12,597 per student — 12% below the national average of $14,347, with a 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio near the national norm. About 70% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, reflecting significant economic challenges in the surrounding community.

Student Body & Demographics at SanLee Middle School

809
Total Students
15.3 : 1
Student:Teacher
70%
Free Lunch
53
Teacher FTE
Grade Range
PK
K
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Highlighted grades (0608) are served by this school
Gender Distribution397 male · 412 female
49%
51%
Male 49%Female 51%
Free / Reduced Lunch Eligibility70%
National avg 52% · 568 students
Student Composition
32%
44%
19%
Asian1%
White32%
Hispanic / Latino44%
Black19%
Multiracial3%
NCES Common Core of Data · Race/ethnicity self-reported · NCES ID: 370256003036

School Resources & Funding

Per-Pupil Expenditure$12,597Below avg
National avg $14,347
Per-Pupil Spending Comparison
This school
$12,597
State avg
$13,042
National avg
$14,347
How School Funding Is Typically Spent
44%
19%
12%
15%
Instruction$5,543
Student Support$2,393
Administration$1,512
Operations$1,890
Other$1,260
Estimated using national average spending distribution (NCES) · School-level breakdowns not publicly reported
Of the $12,597 spent per student, an estimated $5,580 (~44%) goes directly to classroom instruction.
Where Funding Comes From
60%
17%
State government
59.9%
Local (property tax)
16.8%
Federal programs
23.3%
NCES F-33 Finance Survey · District-level data applied to this school
Strengths & Considerations
Strengths
  • Traditional public school — open enrollment, no application process required
Strengths and considerations are derived from federal data thresholds — not editorial judgements. See data sources below.
School Profile
TypeRegular School
LevelMiddle
Grades06 – 08
Location
CountyLee County
CharterNo
VirtualNo
Phone: (919)708-7227
NCES ID: 370256003036
Who Is This School For?

Best suited for families in Sanford seeking a public middle school, especially those prioritizing a diverse, community-focused learning environment. We always recommend an in-person visit and a conversation with current families before making any enrollment decision.

Location
2309 Tramway Rd, Sanford, NC 27332
Data Sources & Transparency
Enrollment & Profile
NCES Common Core of Data. Grades, enrollment, demographics, school characteristics. Updated annually.
Funding & Spending
NCES F-33 Finance Survey. District-level spending data. School-level breakdowns are not publicly reported.
Graduation Rate
EDFacts Adjusted Cohort Graduation Rate (ACGR). High schools only. Small cohorts may be range-coded for privacy.
Opportunity Score
Opportunity Atlas (Chetty, Friedman et al., Harvard/Census Bureau). Census tract outcomes for children born in the 1980s.
Fact-Based Rankings
Best-school rankings are computed from federal metrics only — enrollment, per-pupil spending, student-teacher ratio, opportunity score, and graduation rate. No editorial opinion or paid placements.
Equity Data (Coming Soon)
AP access, counselor ratios, and chronic absenteeism from the CRDC will be added in a future update.

Questions to Ask on Your School Visit

Research shows the most important factors are invisible in the data. Here is what to ask when you visit.

Middle
1
How does the school support the transition from elementary?
Orientation programs, peer mentoring
2
What electives and clubs are available?
Arts, STEM, sports, extracurriculars
3
How are students grouped for core subjects?
Tracking policies can affect equity
4
What is the school's homework and study policy?
Look for balance and academic support
5
How is bullying and social pressure addressed?
Anti-bullying policies, counselor availability
6
What advanced or enrichment options exist?
Honors courses, gifted programs
7
What does the school do with student performance data?
How data is used to personalize instruction
8
How would you describe teacher retention here?
High turnover can disrupt continuity of learning
9
What's the culture around student diversity and inclusion?
How differences are celebrated and managed

Frequently Asked Questions

About this school and the data on this page

About This Data

All figures on this page come directly from US federal open datasets — NCES Common Core of Data, EDFacts, and the Opportunity Atlas — and we work hard to keep them accurate and up to date. That said, federal data is published on an annual cycle, so some figures may not yet reflect the very latest school-year changes or local updates. We recommend using this page as a helpful starting point and cross-checking with the school or district directly, or visiting the NCES Common Core of Data and ed.gov for the most authoritative figures before making any important decisions.