South Triangle News

Southern Lee High School had the highest enrollment among Lee County schools, welcoming 1,175 students during the 2022-23 school year, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

Among the 13 schools in Lee County, SanLee Middle School ranked second in enrollment numbers with 803 students, while WB Wicker Elementary School welcomed 575 students and ranked third in the 2022-23 school year.

Southern Lee High School is part of Lee County Schools district, which roughly covers institutions within Lee County and has a main office in Sanford.

In the previous school year, Southern Lee High School also had the highest number of students among Lee County schools.

North Carolina's public schools are facing a significant funding gap, with a per-student expenditure of $10,519 — well below the national average of $14,295.

This financial strain is further compounded by a significant challenge in staffing with a staggering 58.4% surge in vacant teaching positions in the 2021-22 school year, leaving over 5,000 classrooms without qualified instructors.

School name	City	Total School Enrollment
Southern Lee High School	Sanford	1,175
SanLee Middle School	Sanford	803
WB Wicker Elementary School	Sanford	575
J. Glenn Edwards Elementary School	Sanford	545
Greenwood Elementary School	Lemon Springs	543
Tramway Elementary School	Sanford	537
East Lee Middle School	Sanford	525
BT Bullock Elementary School	Sanford	487
Broadway Elementary School	Broadway	462
J. R. Ingram Jr. Elementary School	Sanford	404
Lee Early College	Sanford	248
Bragg Street Academy	Sanford	59
Floyd L. Knight Children Center	Sanford	49