Guilderland Central School District, NY

Original Research by School Decision on Guilderland Central School District

Guilderland Central School District serves a community of moderate size in the western suburbs of Albany, spanning seven school buildings from kindergarten through grade twelve. The district's student body is predominantly white, with meaningful representation from Asian, Hispanic, and Black families. The broader residential area includes towns like Altamont, Guilderland, and Slingerlands, where home values sit modestly above state benchmarks and residents face typical housing affordability pressures for upstate New York.

On state assessments, the district shows solid performance in the elementary grades that softens as students progress. In grades three and four, reading and math proficiency rates cluster around or above the typical passing threshold. By fifth grade, performance begins to taper, with reading slightly ahead of math. Through the middle grades, this pattern continues: sixth and seventh grade show proficiency rates in both subjects that fall below the elementary baseline, with reading slightly lower than math. Eighth grade math rebounds noticeably, while reading remains flatter. Science performance in fifth grade sits below the median, while eighth-grade science is stronger. Across all tested grades, participation rates remain high, suggesting consistent engagement in the testing process. State graduation rate data was not available for this district.

The district sits above the midpoint among Albany County's districts on an overall proficiency index that aggregates performance across tested subjects and grades. Its chronic absenteeism rate is low relative to county peers, indicating strong school engagement. Per-pupil spending falls in the middle range, on the lower half, compared to other districts in the county.

Community investment in schools is visible and ongoing. Voters approved a substantial capital project in October 2021 that replaced aging infrastructure across all seven buildings, including HVAC and roofing systems, security upgrades, and the addition of outdoor learning pavilions equipped with technology at each school. In May 2025, the community approved an additional "Future Ready" capital project that will modernize classrooms with updated technology, add specialized instructional and music space at the high school, and upgrade safety systems further. These improvements will unfold over multiple years ahead.

The district has pursued steady annual property-tax increases in recent years, each kept within New York's tax-levy cap, which is a material consideration for families relocating to the area. The housing market reflects solid but not dramatic appreciation, with weighted home values running somewhat higher than the national benchmark but modestly above the state median. Rental options are available, though rental affordability remains tight relative to household income.

The district's academic trajectory suggests it serves families well through the elementary years and maintains reasonable outcomes in middle and high school, though the middle grades show noticeably more variability. The ongoing capital investments and community support for facility modernization indicate a district focused on maintaining current infrastructure and instructional technology, which may appeal to families prioritizing newer school environments.

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District Context

Officially reported figures, 2024-25.

Enrollment

4,906

Grades

KG–12

Schools

Student body

Hispanic 7%

Black 5%

White 69%

Asian 14%

Two+ 5%

Am. Indian / AK Native 0%

Hawaiian / Pac. Isl. 0%

By economic status

Percent proficient by grade, as reported

Economically disadvantaged

Not disadvantaged

ELA

Gr EOC

81%

—

Gr 3

52%

74%

Gr 4

49%

73%

Gr 5

54%

76%

Gr 6

35%

67%

Gr 7

37%

62%

Gr 8

45%

69%

Math

Gr EOC

63%

—

Gr 3

64%

80%

Gr 4

73%

78%

Gr 5

46%

71%

Gr 6

43%

72%

Gr 7

45%

71%

Gr 8

63%

77%

Science

Gr EOC

39%

—

Gr 5

34%

63%

Gr 8

59%

74%

Social studies

Gr EOC

82%

—

Schools in this District

7 schools are officially reported under this district.

ALTAMONT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

GUILDERLAND HIGH SCHOOL

FARNSWORTH MIDDLE SCHOOL

LYNNWOOD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

WESTMERE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

PINE BUSH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

GUILDERLAND ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

Academic Performance

Percent of students meeting or exceeding state standards, by grade.

Mathematics

6 grades reported

76%

Grade 3

77%

Grade 4

65%

Grade 5

64%

Grade 6

64%

Grade 7

72%

Grade 8

English Language Arts

6 grades reported

69%

Grade 3

68%

Grade 4

70%

Grade 5

58%

Grade 6

56%

Grade 7

63%

Grade 8

Science

2 grades reported

56%

Grade 5

69%

Grade 8

Housing & Real Estate

Data as of April 2026 | District-weighted from constituent ZIP codes

Home Values

Typical home value$400,646

Year-over-year change+5.3%

Range across 8 ZIP codes$292K to $571K

vs. state typical0.78x

vs. national typical1.09x

Home value trend (12 months)

ZIP code home values (8 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Value	YoY	Weight
12009	Altamont	$412K	+5.2%	50.2%
12303	Schenectady	$315K	+4.7%	14.4%
12203	Albany	$334K	+3.9%	13.4%
12084	Guilderland	$493K	+7.2%	8.1%
12159	Slingerlands	$571K	+6.5%	7.3%
12306	Schenectady	$292K	+7.1%	4.1%
12186	Voorheesville	$414K	+4.9%	0.7%
12208	Albany	$322K	+4.0%	0.0%

Rental Market

Typical monthly rent$1,617/mo

Year-over-year change+2.4%

Range across 3 ZIP codes$1,582 to $1,655/mo

Rent trend (12 months)

ZIP code rents (3 ZIP codes)

ZIP	City	Rent/mo	YoY	Weight
12303	Schenectady	$1,582	—	14.4%
12203	Albany	$1,655	+2.4%	13.4%
12208	Albany	$1,639	+5.0%	0.0%

Affordability

Est. monthly mortgage (20% down at 6.48%)$2,022/mo

Home price / national median income4.8x

Annual rent / national median income23.2%

Est. mortgage exceeds rent by$405/mo

Comparison

State typical home value$510,449 (+5.0% YoY)

National typical home value$368,198 (+0.6% YoY)

State ZHVI trend (12 months)

National ZHVI trend (12 months)

Economic Context

30-year fixed mortgage rate6.48%

National unemployment rate4.3%

National median household income$83,730

CPI: Rent of shelter (index)447.05

30-year fixed mortgage rate (12 months)

National unemployment rate (12 months)

National median household income (12 months)

CPI: Rent of shelter (index) (12 months)

Sources: Zillow Home Value Index and Zillow Observed Rent Index (Zillow Group), Realtor.com via Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis (FRED)

Data Currently Unavailable

Civil Rights Data (CRDC)

This profile is derived exclusively from publicly available federal and state datasets. It may not reflect the most current information available. We encourage parents and families to supplement this data with information published directly on the school’s website, which may include more recent figures, additional programs, or updated enrollment data.