Dozens of teachers, parents and students used the School Committee’s public comment period Thursday to press elected members to increase funding and staffing for Northampton Public Schools.

Speakers described classroom and building-level shortages that they said undermine services: missing front office clerks, few reading and math interventionists, inadequate special-education staffing, high staff turnover and insufficient substitute coverage. Several special-education staff and parents said the district is relying on educators’ unpaid time to fill gaps.

Educators and staff urged the committee to restore positions and funding that they said have been cut in recent years. One recurring theme was that short-term grant funding is not a substitute for operating budget positions: district literacy and math coaches described using state and private grants to buy curriculum and run interventions while asking the city to create permanent operating positions to sustain services.

Students and parents raised related equity concerns. Student speakers said schedule changes and reduced access to FlexBlock activities disproportionately affect students who cannot meet outside school hours because of jobs, transportation or family responsibilities. Parents and staff described how funding gaps can widen achievement disparities for low-income and disabled students.

Several public commenters also urged the district to expand out-of-school-time care, highlighting an immediate deadline for after-school program planning and enrollment that affects family decisions for next year.

What the district said: Superintendent Bonner and other administrators acknowledged the staffing pressure and pointed to efforts to seek grant funding and to partnerships with community organizations. Bonner noted recent grant awards for targeted tutoring but said permanent staffing changes will need to be addressed in the budget process and asked the committee to consider those trade-offs in upcoming budget deliberations.