PITTSFIELD, Mass. - In a proposed budget from March 13, Pittsfield Public Schools say they could lose about 10 percent of staff. 

The cuts would be made for the 2024-2025 academic year.

On July 1, the schools will be losing the ESSER funds, which came from the federal government during COVID, but they are hoping to replace the money with state funds.

Spectrum News 1 spoke with Bill Cameron, the chair of the Pittsfield School Committee. 

"It’s possible that we can receive additional state aid if the reduction to $650,000, which is a result of an error the state made, if that can be corrected, we're very hopeful about, that but at the moment, we have no assurance of that," he said.

If state funds do not come through, these layoffs would include some deans, teachers, paraprofessionals, and even school counselors, which is a concern to many in the community.

One parent says they are worried the cuts would impact behavioral health related positions which help students already struggling. 

"We have a lot of kids who really do need help and we would like to be able to restore some of those counseling positions...if we possibly can do that, I think of all the reductions that’s probably the one that would be most obvious...if we aren’t able to deal with it by increasing state aid," they said.

Cameron says even if state funds do come, they will still need to make some cuts to the staff, just not as much. He also says despite possible lack of funding no programs will be eliminated in schools.

The Pittsfield School Committee will be adopting a budget on April 25.