On November 3, 2020, Madison voters approved a historic investment in MMSD with a pair of referenda that totaled $350 million. Voters approved both questions on the ballot: $317 million in bonds for capital projects and $33 million in operating funds that will phase in over four years. The "Vote Yes 2 Invest Campaign," was led by Schools Make Madison Advocates, Inc., an affiliate of the Madison Public Schools Foundation.

Three years later, students were welcomed into two new MMSD school buildings at the start of the 2023-24 school year, and construction continues at the four main high schools with full occupancy planned for the start of the next school year. 

The referendum improvements and projects have varied across the four main high schools, but a common use of funds is less visible, mechanical upgrades. At Vel Phillips Memorial High School, students have an expanded visual arts and music wing and the tech ed wing is now connected to the main building. At West High School, a new welcome center is under construction at the Ash Street entrance, and a new 10-lane competition pool connects to the current gymnasium.

Read All Updates by High School >>

In addition to the renovations at Memorial, West, East, and La Follette, the referendum afforded major renovations to the Hoyt School building on Regent Street (previously occupied by MSCR) to provide a new home for Capital High. Until this school year, Capital High’s 190 students were split between two buildings, with 90 students receiving their education in a leased strip mall site with a 60-person capacity on the far West side of Madison, and the rest in a borrowed space on the third floor of 4K-2 Lapham Elementary School. See all Capital High Updates >>

The referendum funded a brand-new Southside Elementary School for some of our younger scholars, who previously attended Allis Elementary. This new school is in the Rimrock area (south of the beltline and east of South Park St./Highway 14) and was built to address structural equity concerns and better serve students and families living there. The former Allis Elementary building is now home to Nuestro Mundo Community School. See all Southside Elementary Updates >>

The investments afforded by Referenda 2020 will lift Madison up as a thriving, equitable, and inclusive community for generations to come. We are grateful to the Madison community for their support of our public schools.