The following text is from the 2023-24 Guilderland Central School District budget mailing sent to Guilderland residents May 2023. View a PDF of the mailing.
Guilderland Central School District 2023-2024 Budget Vote
Voters to decide on $120 million proposed budget, board elections on Tuesday, May 16
Budget targets class size reduction, preserves programs, focuses on academics and safety and stays under tax cap
On May 16, 2023, residents of the Guilderland Central School District will go to the polls to vote on the proposed $119,772,194 budget for the 2023-24 school year. This represents a $9,884,349, or 8.99 percent, increase in spending over the current year. If approved, the tax levy would increase by 2.66 percent, which is below the district’s levy limit as defined by by New York State’s tax levy cap legislation.
A separate proposition will appear on the ballot to purchase school buses and a maintenance vehicle at a total cost of $1,206,000. The purchase would include six 65-passenger buses, three with chains and three without, two 35-passenger buses and one dual-wheel chassis, one-ton pickup truck. The new buses will replace aging vehicles.
The proposed budget meets GCSD’s needs and aligns with the district’s goal of educating the whole student, ensuring each and every student is ready for future achievements. In addition to rigorous academics, this budget sustains the programs that contribute to the social and emotional well-being of GCSD students, such as music, the arts and athletics.
Find more information on the proposed 2023-24 budget and board of education candidates visit the “budget and taxes” tab at www.guilderlandschools.org.
Budget At A Glance
- Budget total:
$119,772,194 - Spending increase:
$9,884,349/8.99% - Tax levy increase:
$2,083,783/2.66% - Also on the ballot:
- Proposition to purchase one maintenance vehicle and eight school buses
- Elect three members to the board of education
Budget proposal supports GCSD’s commitment to the whole student
Academic growth and success are top priorities
The proposed budget for the 2023-24 school year aligns with the district’s objective of empowering each and every Guilderland Central School District student to succeed in the 21st century. We want students to thrive now, while they attend GCSD schools, and in the future. The proposed budget gives them access to rigorous academics balanced with programs that contribute to social and emotional well-being, such as music, arts, athletics and other co-curricular and extra-curricular programs. A Guilderland education strives to engage students in meaningful ways, encouraging a lifelong love of learning; this budget upholds that.
The proposed budget focuses on the following areas:
Safety and Well-being
A top responsibility for the district, safe and secure environments enable students and staff to feel more at ease and to be more engaged, resulting in a positive educational experience.
Extracurricular
The 2023-24 budget maintains and preserves all current interscholastic and extracurricular opportunities while supporting cross country and track coaches at the modified level and adding eSports and unified bocce teams.
Instruction
The budget preserves robust academic offerings at all levels with a commitment to address a stakeholder priority of reducing class size, particularly at Farnsworth Middle School. Additional instructional staff and stronger data capabilities will help the district target instructional resources in all seven schools. This budget targets literacy, serving an increase in ENL needs, providing adequate resources to high-needs students and supporting students who are not meeting or at risk of not meeting standards.
Operational
Transportation, technology, human resources, maintenance and facilities are just a few of the many departments necessary to operate the Guilderland Central School District on a daily basis. These departments provide clean, safe, engaging and empowering learning experiences for the more than 4,800 students; this budget aims to sustain this work while enhancing productivity and efficiency.
Included in the budget
- Additional positions to promote wellness and safety, including a FMS school resource officer, expanded monitor coverage at FMS and GHS, new teacher positions in Special Education and ENL
- Increased athletic programming
- Expansion of extracurricular activities
- Operational services, upgrades and enhancements
- BOCES services
- 6.8 full-time equivalents (FTEs) for FMS class size reduction
- 2.7 FTEs for additional elementary teaching positions
- .5 FTEs for additional high school teaching positions
- Increased teaching/TA staff in the areas of special education, ENL and reading
- Tableau data reporting services to analyze academic, achievement and attendance data
- Expanded Career and Technical Education opportunities
- FTE increases in science, business and World Languages
The Arts at GCSD
This school year, the Guilderland school community was treated to three spectacular productions; the GHS Guilderland Players staged “Love/Sick” and “Beauty and the Beast” and FMS Mask performed “Mathilda Junior.” These drama presentations are just a small part of GCSD’s commitment to the arts. Students have ample opportunities to express themselves creatively through music, band, choir and fine arts. The proposed 2023-24 budget preserves these opportunities, as studies show participation in the arts boosts students’ academic achievement, social engagement, attendance and readiness for the future.
Robotics
Just one of several STEM-related clubs offered in the district, GHS Robotics challenges small groups of students to design, construct, program, redesign and drive a robot that must complete tasks. At competitions, the students program their robots from scratch and record their successes and failures in an engineering notebook for review by judges. Preparing students to become future innovators, robotics encourages creativity, teamwork, leadership and problem solving. The students’ hard work has earned them a spot at the World Championships held in late April; congratulations to all!
Academic Success
Rigorous academics is the foundation for everything that happens in Guilderland schools. Providing our students with programs, services, opportunities and resources helps them to learn and achieve success. The 2023-24 spending plan strengthens this commitment with additional instructional staff at every level and stronger data analysis capabilities. This enhanced software will enable building and instructional leaders and teachers to evaluate how students are doing, to develop insights into academic strengths as well as areas where more attention is needed.
Proficiency rates for GCSD students are above the New York state average in both ELA and math.
Meet Your School Budget
People make our school district a special place. From the health and wellness staff who care for students each day, to the teachers who engage and educate over 4,800 students, to the office staff who make our buildings hum, the more than 950 GCSD personnel are the lifeblood of the district. Approximately 75 percent of the 2023-24 spending plan goes to employ this hard working staff. Here’s a small glimpse into a few of the many positions that are essential to supporting the youth of Guilderland.
Transportation
The school day starts and ends with the transportation team. They get GCSD students to school in the morning and return them safely home at the end of the day – and in between, they maintain and service the fleet of Guilderland vehicles.
Health and Wellness
Each school building is staffed with nurses who attend to students’ health needs; however our wellness staff also encompasses social workers, counselors, trainers and therapists. This group of dedicated professionals work to ensure the total health of GCSD students so they are ready to learn.
Instructional staff
Teachers, teaching assistants, aides and substitute teachers are the personnel responsible for guiding GCSD students through their educational experience. They engage, motivate and inspire our students to learn and grow, making a direct impact on students’ lives and affecting positive change — all in a day’s work.
Visit the GCSD Facebook page to see the social media posts that highlight the district personnel.
Three-part budget:
- Program: 75%
- Administrative: 11%
- Capital: 14%
The Budget at a Glance
Spending
| 2022-23 | Proposed 2023-24 | |
| Instruction | $59,437,458 | $62,116,543 |
| Employee Benefits | $28,229,490 | $29,587,960 |
| Transportation | $6,462,158 | $7,336,653 |
| Operations & Maintenance | $5,492,951 | $5,643,599 |
| Debt Service | $5,580,387 | $8,218,259 |
| Administration | $3,080,007 | $3,378,852 |
| Other General Support | $1,605,394 | $2,960,147 |
| High-Impact Tutoring Set-Aside | N/A | $530,181 |
| Total | $109,887,845 | $119,772,194 |
Revenues
| 2022-23 | Proposed 2023-24 | |
| Estimated Local Property Taxes | $78,218,651 | $80,302,434 |
| State Aid | $29,604,807 | $37,643,032 |
| Federal Aid | $125,000 | $125,000 |
| Other Local Revenue | $949,474 | $1,181,214 |
| Interfund Transfer | $250,000 | $350,000 |
| Fund Balances and Reserves | $739,913 | $170,514 |
| Total | $109,887,845 | $119,772,194 |
Don’t forget to vote
Tuesday, May 16, 2023, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. at your home elementary school. Absentee ballots are available at the district office.
Voter Eligibility
To vote, you must be at least 18 years old, a U.S. citizen and a resident of the Guilderland Central School District for at least 30 days prior to the vote. Voter registration is required in GCSD. If you are not registered with the school district or the county, you must do so before the vote. You can register to vote with the Albany County Board of Elections. For more information, please contact the district clerk at 518-456-6200, ext. 0125.
Qualified voters who need to vote by absentee ballot must submit an application to the district clerk at least seven days before the vote if the ballot is to be mailed. Find more information, including the absentee ballot application, under “Budget & Taxes” on the district website.
Board of Education
Seema Rivera, President
Kelly Person, Vice President
Kim Blasiak
Rebecca Butterfield
Katie DiPierro
Blanca Gonzalez-Parker
Nathan Sabourin
Judy Slack
Gloria Towle-Hilt
Superintendent
Marie Wiles, Ph.D.
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