Founded in the fall of 1963, it is a part of the Madison Metropolitan School District, and is named after former lawmaker and 1924 presidential candidate Robert M. La Follette, Sr.

Drawing upon the experiences and resources of alumni, parents and other patrons, the board's mission is to empower students and faculty while building community.

The branch is staffed by interns from the La Follette career internship class and is open during the lunch hour.

[13][14] On September 28, 2010, the school was visited by President Barack Obama, who made an unannounced stop ahead of a late-afternoon rally on the UW-Madison campus.

[15] The Lance is the student newspaper for La Follette; its yearbook is known as The Statesman; The Lancer Legend is the parent newsletter.