In the 2003-2004 school year, of the 2,100 students attending Lee, 205 were recent immigrants who were 17 or older and entering the 9th grade for the first time, making them "overage" in the U.S. educational system.

[5] Steve Amstutz, the Lee principal, was the main figure responsible for the school's creation.

[2] School officials placed fliers promoting NCHS in Gulfton-area apartment complexes, churches, flea markets, and washaterias.

[3] In 2007 the school had low Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) passing rates.

[8] As of 2018[update] the school had about 400 students, with about 28 native languages represented and with virtually all having low English fluency.

The student body, almost completely those of recent immigrants, was made up of a majority of those of Central American origin and with others from the continents of Africa and Asia, including those from the Middle East region.

[11] In the 2006-2007 school year there were 229 students, with origins from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, and with 96% being classified as low income.

[8] The center of the lot had a group of trees and picnic tables, while a volleyball net was in its periphery.

Andrew Kragie of the Houston Chronicle wrote "Other than a front-door sticker telling visitors to register with the front desk, the building's exterior gives little sign that a school operates here.

When the school was established, officials believed that the students would be unable to participate in extracurricular programs due to being busy with out-of-school employment and care for family members, but they established extracurricular programs upon discovering student interest.