Founded in 2008 as a consolidation of Forest Brook High School at 7525 Tidwell Road and M. B. Smiley High School on Mesa Drive, the school was originally located on the former Forest Brook High School campus.

The Smiley campus was built in 1953, the Oak Village campus was built in 1967, and the Forest Brook campus was built in 1972. In September of 2008, Hurricane Ike hit Houston, and Forest Brook was damaged. Therefore, the school was relocated to the former Smiley campus.

In the 2010-2011 school year, NFISD opened the Ninth Grade Center at the former Oak Village Middle School campus. It opened under the direction of the Texas Education Agency (TEA)-appointed manager George McShan. The Ninth Grade Center housed newly arrived ninth graders. People repeating the ninth grade attended the main campus of North Forest High School. 

In 2013, the Houston Independent School District took over North Forest High School. Currently, Marie Adams, Principal of North Forest High School, has elevated the school to excellence. She envisions "North Forest University," and her students and staff have embraced her vision to become a school that embraces culture, community, industry career pathways, and high academic achievement.