April 17, 2018—On Tuesday, May 15, Guilderland Central School District residents will head to the polls to vote on a $100,925,515 budget for the 2018-19 school year. The proposed budget, adopted by the Board of Education on April 17, includes an increase in spending of $2,441,405, or 2.48 percent, over the current year’s budget. If approved by voters, it would result in a 2.22 percent tax levy increase in the coming year—below the district’s maximum allowable tax levy limit as calculated under the state’s “tax cap” formula.
Due to projected assessment growth within the district, tax rates are estimated to increase by 1.97 percent for residents of the school district
The proposed budget maintains current academic programming at all three levels, provides additional staffing for reading to support students at the elementary level, provides additional classroom teachers at the elementary level to maintain class sizes within guidelines, and also includes the addition of a second permanent building substitute for Guilderland High School. The proposed budget would also create a new elective at Guilderland High School: American Sign Language.
Additionally, the proposed budget would create a school-based mental health clinic to serve children in need enrolled in Guilderland schools and their families. This clinic would be started in partnership with Capital Region BOCES and Parsons Child and Family Center/Northern Rivers. The proposed budget also provides funding for additional special education teachers at the high school and elementary levels to support co-teaching.