AMHERST — Eight classroom teachers and four paraprofessionals at Amherst’s three elementary schools could lose their jobs under a preliminary plan that would eliminate $1.12 million in spending from a $29.26 million level services fiscal year 2026 budget.

At a Jan. 21 Amherst School Committee meeting, interim school Finance Director Shannon Bernacchia outlined what the situation might look like for the K-6 schools beginning this fall, using what she said are reductions, restructuring and reallocating based on a 3% increase in tax support from the town an anticipated $1.48 million gap.

Under current assumptions that include receiving $750,000 from school choice funding and $185,000 from a strategic partnership with the University of Massachusetts — but without full details about the costs of health insurance and transportation — and the support that will be received from the state, Bernacchia’s spreadsheet shows the need to cut 8.2 full-time-equivalent teachers, saving $504,000; four paraprofessionals, saving $120,000; and one clerical position, saving $40,000.

In addition, five central office positions would be eliminated, mostly in facilities and food service, saving $150,000 through consolidation and a change in workflow.

Reducing out-of-district placement for some students would save another $250,000, with $57,000 in expenses reduced through cuts to expenses for licenses.

The changes are being put forward to bring the level-services spending down to the $27.8 million range, which would be a $809,113 increase, or 3% more than this year’s $26.9 million budget.

The proposals so far, though, remain more than $300,000 short of that target.

“We’re actively looking (for more),” Bernacchia said.

A hearing on the budget will take place at the committee’s next scheduled meeting, Feb. 25, when Bernacchia said more information about the specific positions to be cut would be announced and families could comment on.

Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman said the current plans for cuts are based on suggestions from building principals, Bernacchia and Assistant Finance Director Kate Holcomb and others on the team, and should be seen as a work in progress.

“I haven’t approved it and walked it through with the team as yet, so once I walk it through with Shannon and Kate to understand the logic behind it … I will always first restore student-facing positions,” Herman said.

Last month, Herman described the situation as daunting and grim.

The possible loss of staff comes as the regional schools, where secondary students from Amherst along with Pelham, Shutesbury and Leverett are educated, is also looking at deficit of more than $1 million. There, 24 positions, 14 of which are student-facing, could be lost.

As the budget discussions are ongoing, Herman showed data about projected class sizes at the three elementary schools, where 1,093 students were enrolled in 2020 and 984 this school year, a nearly 10% drop. Enrollment projections are for 983 pupils n 2025 and 963 in 2026, when the new K-5 elementary school opens at the Fort River school site. Both of the existing Fort River and Wildwood elementary schools will close at that point and a separate 6th Grade Academy will open, possibly at the middle school.

Herman said she has to properly plan for placing what could be 146 sixth graders in the middle school for the fall of 2026. That is down from 152 sixth graders last fall.

But Herman said those numbers are subject to change, noting that 312 students began the year at Wildwood, but with the University of Massachusetts bringing in instructors and their families, by October the school needed an additional teacher for two grades.

Herman also spoke of the unique cultures at each of the schools, including Crocker Farm and Fort River, saying it’s not as easy to combine schools as simply putting students and staff into a new building.

“This isn’t Kool-Aid we mix in — this is literally lives that are shifting,” Herman said.