NORTHAMPTON — All public school employees would forego raises next year, in addition to the elimination of more positions on top of those already announced in December, under a plan revealed in recent days by Superintendent Portia Bonner as the district moves to keep its budget increase for next fiscal year in line with what the mayor says the city can afford.

The latest proposal would cap the increase to the school budget at 4%, or slightly more than $38 million, in fiscal year 2025. The current year’s budget is about $36.5 million.

These additional proposed cuts are in addition to a “first-view” $40.8 million budget Bonner outlined in December that called for an 8% increase next year, twice the city’s recommended amount. At 8%, at least 20 full-time positions would be lost — cuts that have drawn protest from residents, students and  teachers.

Among the cuts outlined in that original  budget are the elimination of three teachers at Jackson Street Elementary School, one teacher and two special education teachers at Leeds Elementary, a foreign language and physical education teacher at JFK and two high school teaching positions. It also showed district-wide reductions in crossing guards, transportation drivers and translation services for the district.

Those positions remain on the chopping block under the 4% plan now being considered. All told, the district must cut an additional $2.75 million out of its proposed 8% budget to get to the 4% level.

“It shows how horrific this could be,” said School Committee Vice Chair Gwen Agna, who posted the proposed budget plan on social media over the weekend. “It’s pretty dire.”

In addition to the salary freeze for all school staff, the 4% plan also calls for the elimination of nine more positions, including several regular and special education teachers across the district, and the removal of stipends for School Committee members, department heads and more.

Here’s a breakdown of what would be lost and how that would help close the gap:

■ A salary freeze for all staff would save almost $1.9 million.

■ The elimination of six academic support teachers and staff across the district’s three elementary schools, for a reduction of about $740,000.

■JFK Middle School would see the reduction of stipends for extracurriculars, department chairs and team leaders, as well as the elimination of extra per diem adjustment and guidance counselors. This would reduce the budget by $79,000.

■Northampton High School would face the elimination of a counselor position and the coordinator position for the schools Innovation Pathways program, which gives career guidance to students and helps them find internships. Stipends would also be reduced for extracurriculars, department heads, and extra per diem guidance counselor expenses. These changes reduce the budget by $223,800.

■ In addition to School Committee stipends and supplies, the Central Office would reduce special education stipends districtwide. Combined, these changes reduce the budget by $146,600.

The city has said that capping the fiscal 2025 school budget at 4% is necessary in order for Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra to submit a balanced city budget to the City Council. Most of the increases in the budget have been attributed to previous use of school choice funds, an increase and staffing and contractual stipulations over the past several years.

Union reacts

Andrea Egitto, the head of the Northampton Association of School Employees (NASE) union, criticized the demands put forth by the city for the school budget as affecting some of the most vulnerable students, noting the number of special education teacher and interventionist positions currently slated for elimination.

“It’s pretty impossible to run a school if these cuts were to go through,” Egitto said. “We need our city to support our schools, to fully fund them and to take care of our students.”

Egitto added that the school district made up a core aspect of drawing new families to Northampton, and that other city projects meant to improve the quality of life would become irrelevant if the district’s education offerings were to decline.

“It’s like having a very beautiful house and when you drive by it looks really lovely on the outside, but then they go inside and see that the foundation is crumbling and there’s water in the basement,” Egitto said. “Our schools are the foundation of our city, and if we let them crumble, then it’s only a matter of time before property values go down.”

Regarding the pay freeze, Egitto said it brought questions of legal obligations of the city to abide by its contracts, but added the union considered the needs of students the greater priority.

“We’re more concerned about our students and the needs they have,” she said. “In recovering from the pandemic and building up our district and supporting our students, we had to add staff, and we want to be able to fund that for our kids.”

NASE is countering the mayor’s proposal with a “level services” budget that would retain all current staff in the district, which would amount to a 14% budget increase.

The School Committee is expected to vote on a final budget to send to the mayor’s office on Thursday.

Alexander MacDougall can be reached at amacdougall@gazettenet.com.