Established in 1930, Madison West High School began as a junior-senior high before becoming a four-year high school in the 1960s.[6] The building is an example of Collegiate Gothic Revival architecture, featuring pointed arches, stonework, and ornamental detailing.[7]
At the time of its construction, the school was located at the western edge of Madison, inspiring its name. In the early 20th century, Madison's only public high school was located downtown on the isthmus. A second school, East High School, opened in 1924 on the far east side. As western neighborhoods such as Nakoma, Wingra Park, and Westmorland grew, the school board selected the Carpenter farm on Regent Street for a new high school. The site, bordered by Highland Avenue at the city limits, was controversial. On April 22, 1924, theCapital Times reported that board member E.E. Brossard opposed the location, citing concerns that Madison would not expand far enough west for the site to be considered central.[8]
Fifty-seven alumni from the classes of 1931 to 1944 are recognized as Gold Star alumni, having sacrificed in military service for the United States in World War II.[9] Their names are inscribed on a memorial wall at the school's southern entrance, beneath a 13-folded triangle American flag.
In 2020, Madison voters approved a $317 million referendum to improve school facilities across the district. As part of this plan, extensive renovations began at West High in summer 2022 and were completed in the fall of 2024.[10]
These renovations aimed to address overcrowding and accommodate a projected student population of 2,200, as noted in a 2019 facilities assessment by Zimmerman Architectural Studios, Inc.[11]
Between 2022 and 2024, enrollment at West High increased significantly, despite a projected decrease in students.[12]
The renovation included a new pool and gym with updated locker rooms, new classrooms and team rooms, and integrated wrestling and weight training facilities. Other additions include a library media center, expanded science labs, a welcome center, and a four-story accessibility addition to connect all school levels.[13]
In 2020, MMSD implemented a policy setting 50% as the minimum grade for assignments, including those that were not turned in. Critics raised concerns about grade inflation and its effects on academic preparedness.[14]
From 2021 to 2024, the MMSD school board considered removing honors classes, though the proposal was not adopted following large community opposition.[15][16]
Though West's curriculum does not offer either of the AP English courses, it instead features semester-long classes such as Language, Usage and Grammar (LUG), Advanced Writing Workshop (AWW), Survey of American Literature Honors, and Trends in 20th Century Literature, which aim to prepare students for these exams.[23][25]
In 2022, 78% of West High School graduates planned to immediately enroll in a postsecondary institution: 58% in a four-year college or university, 19% in a two-year college, and 1% in the military. West students most commonly went on to attend:[20]
Madison West High School offers 101 extracurricular organizations[26] and activities, alongside 21 interscholastic sports. Prominent academic competitive clubs with strong records in local, state, national, and international tournaments include:[27]
DECA (formerly Distributive Education Clubs of America)
The Madison West Math Team took first place in the 2015 state math meet.[29] In 2016, they took first in the state math meet,[30] the Wisconsin Math League,[31] and the International Online "Purple Comet! Math Meet" for Wisconsin (20th in the U.S.).[32]
The Madison West Rocket Club was founded in 2003 by freshman Thomas Hanzlik.[33] The club won the nationalTeam America Rocketry Challenge (TARC) in 2009, 2012, and 2019, and represented the U.S. in international competition.[34][35][36]
In 2020, the club launched Project Ariadne, sending slime mold into suborbital flight to study its behavior in microgravity, as part of theNASA Student Launch Challenge.[37][38][39]
In 2025, the club won first place in the Rockets for Schools Class 2 and Class 1 Senior divisions.[40]
Founded in 1985, the Madison WestScience Olympiad team placed in the national top 10 for three consecutive years from 1989 to 1991, finishing 2nd in 1989.[41] The team won the Wisconsin state tournament in 2012 and 2013,[42] and between 1989 and 2019, earned 19 state titles, 15 runner-up finishes, and 24 national appearances.
In 2024, the team returned to nationals after a five-year gap, placing 13th and earning the Corteva Enterprise Award.[43][44] In 2025, West achieved its best finish since 1990, placing 7th nationally.[45][46]
In October 2019, a Black security assistant was terminated after using a racial slur while advising a student not to use it. The incident prompted student protests, and the staff member was subsequently reinstated.[47]
In April 2021, the conservativeWisconsin Institute for Law and Liberty threatened to sue both Madison West and the MMSD following virtual discussions on race (following theDerek Chauvin trial verdict) where parents were divided into groups for "white parents" and "parents of color," as noted in school emails.[48] In response, the district apologized for the "poorly worded message" and noted that students and families themselves had requested the separate affinity groups.[49]
The school, in partnership with Advantage Archives, digitized its 2,414 pages of theWest High Times (1930–1962) and 14,105 pages of yearbooks (1933–2020).[13]
