Public schools in Sanford, NC
22 open public schools with an address in Sanford, operated by 5 education agencies. Compare size, staffing, grade spans, and school type, then confirm assignment with the district.
Public schools
22
NCES preliminary directory 2025–26
Reported students
12,832
22 schools reporting · NCES 2024–25
Median student–teacher ratio
15.2:1
North Carolina median 15.4:1
Charter schools
4
1 virtual
An overview of Sanford public schools
The federal directory lists 22 public schools in Sanford, NC: 10 elementary, 5 middle, 6 high, 1 combined or other. The 22 schools that reported 2024–25 membership enrolled 12,832 students, an average of 583 per school. The largest campus is Lee County High (1,459 students), and the largest elementary school is Benhaven Elementary (1,065).
Lee County Schools operates the most schools here (15), and 2 regular districts have at least one Sanford campus, plus 3 charter, service, or other agencies. City names come from school mailing addresses, which often differ from district or municipal boundaries.
Across schools that reported staffing, the median student–teacher ratio is 15.2:1, similar to the statewide school median of 15.4:1. A ratio counts classroom-teacher FTE against total enrollment, so specialized programs and part-time staffing can move it; ask schools for actual class sizes by grade.
School choice options include 4 charter schools, 1 virtual school. Application windows and lotteries usually open months before the school year.
Among 6 high and combined schools with 2021–22 civil-rights data, 3 reported students enrolled in AP courses and 4 of 6 reported computer-science classes. Confirm current course catalogs directly with each school.
About 86% of students in reporting schools were eligible for free or reduced-price meals in 2024–25. This describes the community served; it is not a quality signal, and community-eligibility schools can report differently.
School districts and agencies serving Sanford
Lee County Schools
Public school district
15 schools in Sanford · 16 total
Harnett County Schools
Public school district
3 schools in Sanford · 29 total
Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County
Independent charter agency
2 schools in Sanford
Central Carolina Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Sanford
Rising Leaders Academy
Independent charter agency
1 school in Sanford
Elementary schools in Sanford
10| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benhaven Elementary Harnett County Schools | PK–05 | 1,065 | 16.4:1 | |
| BT Bullock Elementary Lee County Schools | KG–05 | 511 | 15.2:1 | |
| Deep River Elementary Lee County Schools | KG–05 | 557 | 16.3:1 | |
| Greenwood Elementary Lee County Schools | KG–05 | 571 | 14.8:1 | |
| Highland Elementary Harnett County Schools | PK–05 | 854 | 15.1:1 | |
| J Glenn Edwards Elementary Lee County Schools | KG–05 | 587 | 16.4:1 | |
| J R Ingram Jr Elementary Lee County Schools | KG–05 | 419 | 13.9:1 | |
| Rising Leaders Academy Rising Leaders Academy · Charter | KG–08 | 282 | 10:1 | |
| Tramway Elementary Lee County Schools | KG–05 | 559 | 14:1 | |
| WB Wicker Elementary Lee County Schools | KG–05 | 588 | 14.2:1 |
Middle schools in Sanford
5| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascend Leadership Remote Academy Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County · Charter · Virtual | 06–10 | 27 | — | |
| East Lee Middle Lee County Schools | 06–08 | 526 | 15.5:1 | |
| Highland Middle Harnett County Schools | 06–08 | 762 | 15.4:1 | |
| SanLee Middle School Lee County Schools | 06–08 | 792 | 15.3:1 | |
| West Lee Middle Lee County Schools | 06–08 | 522 | 13.7:1 |
High schools in Sanford
6| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County · Charter | 06–12 | 628 | 13.5:1 | |
| Bragg Street Academy Lee County Schools · Alternative School | 06–12 | 40 | 6.4:1 | |
| Central Carolina Academy Central Carolina Academy · Charter | 06–12 | 536 | 15.4:1 | |
| Lee County High Lee County Schools | 09–12 | 1,459 | 19.8:1 | |
| Lee Early College Lee County Schools | 09–13 | 272 | 39.7:1 | |
| Southern Lee High School Lee County Schools | 09–12 | 1,180 | 21:1 |
Combined, early-childhood, and other schools in Sanford
1| School | Grades | Students | Ratio | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Floyd L Knight Children Center Lee County Schools · Special Education School | PK–12 | 95 | 7.4:1 |
Student demographics
Race and ethnicity share of reported enrollment
- White36.1%
- Hispanic37.1%
- Black19.1%
- Asian0.9%
- American Indian / Alaska Native0.3%
- Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander0.2%
- Multiracial6.3%
Enrollment-weighted across 22 Sanford schools with NCES CCD 2024–25 race/ethnicity counts (12,832 students). Privacy suppression can leave small gaps.
Questions about public schools in Sanford
How many public schools are in Sanford, NC?
The current NCES directory lists 22 open public schools with a location address in Sanford: 10 elementary, 5 middle, 6 high, 1 combined or other. Together they reported 12,832 students in 2024–25. The count includes charter, alternative, and special-purpose public schools; it excludes private schools.
Which school districts serve Sanford?
Schools with an address in Sanford belong to 5 education agencies, led by Lee County Schools (15 schools), Harnett County Schools (3 schools), Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County (2 schools). A mailing city is not an attendance boundary; confirm the district for a specific address.
What is the largest public high school in Sanford?
Lee County High reported the largest high-school enrollment in Sanford, with 1,459 students in 2024–25 (grades 09–12). Size is a description of the campus, not a quality measure.
Are there charter schools in Sanford?
Yes. 4 of the 22 public schools in Sanford are identified as charter schools in the NCES directory, including Ascend Leadership Academy: Lee County, Ascend Leadership Remote Academy, Central Carolina Academy. Charter schools are public and tuition-free, but admission usually uses an application or lottery.
What is the typical student–teacher ratio in Sanford schools?
The median reported student–teacher ratio across Sanford public schools is 15.2:1, similar to the North Carolina school median of 15.4:1. The ratio divides enrollment by classroom-teacher FTE; it is not an average class size.
Does living in Sanford guarantee a seat at a specific school?
No. Assignment depends on the district's attendance boundaries, programs, and enrollment rules, which can split a city or cross city lines. Use the district profile and its official boundary or school-locator tool to confirm the assigned school for an exact address.
Nearby North Carolina cities
Sources: NCES Common Core of Data 2025–26 preliminary directory (schools, grades, addresses, charter status) and 2024–25 nonfiscal files (enrollment, teachers, race/ethnicity, meal eligibility); Civil Rights Data Collection 2021–22 (AP and computer science). Cities are grouped by school mailing address. Methodology · All North Carolina cities