2020-2021 school budget Thoughtexchange results; thank you for participating!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our 2020-2021 School Budget Thoughtexchange. We had 771 participants, 356 thoughts and 25,458 ratings.


What questions or comments do you have on the proposed budget for the 2020-2021 school year?

On Thursday, April 2, 2020, the Guilderland Central School District Board of Education held a budget workshop to consider additional reductions to the 2020-2021 spending plan in light of new fiscal challenges facing the state as a result of the continuing COVID-19 health crisis. See more budget information here.

As part of the 2020-2021 budget development process, the district launched a Thoughtexchange, an online forum, to understand the most important areas to focus on and what’s on the community’s mind. The exchange was open from April 2 to April 24 for community members to ask questions and leave comments, and rate other thoughts about the proposed spending plan.

A report of the results from the exchange was shared during the April 28, 2020 Board of Education Meeting. Top-rated topics in the exchange include administrative costs, class size and retirement incentives. The number one thought with the highest ratings was, ” When education is valued, the community benefits. It is so important that we continue to support education in our community. Not only does it positively impact property values, it raises us all up!”


What happens when you participate in a Thoughtexchange?

  1. You Share.
    Share your thoughts on an open-ended question.
  2. You Star.
    Review thoughts and ideas from other participants and rate them on a scale of 1-5 stars based on how much you agree with them or how important you think they are.
  3. You Discover.
    See the thoughts that have been highly rated and are at the top of the conversation, indicating what’s considered important based on the topic.
  4. You Return.
    Go back to the Thoughtexchange to see more results, add more thoughts, and/or rate additional thoughts. This way you can continue to collaborate and gain additional perspectives.

What to know

  • Exchanges are confidential. Your thoughts and ratings are shared, but not your identity. 
  • Rules for participants are to be polite and respectful as thoughts are shared and rated.
  • Any thoughts that are rude, hurtful, or identifies a person or group, it can be reported by participants.
  • All responses will be reviewed by Thoughtexchange moderators.
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