Schools are to be hit hard by swingeing cuts as Highland Council attempts to make £25.8 million savings – with 40 teachers facing the axe.
Education bosses are also targeting classroom assistants and support services, impacting a range of areas including behaviour support, psychology and autism.
Lollipop patrollers are also in line to be cut.
The council said yesterday that it is restoring money to small primary school budgets – but it is no longer possible to protect education from cuts.
A spokeswoman added that the final decisions will not be made until mid-February.
Last night, the council’s opposition leader Maxine Smith condemned the proposals, outlined in a letter to headteachers from the authority’s director of care and learning Bill Alexander.
The SNP leader said: “I’m shocked at this news.
“I understood that teacher numbers were protected? Classrooms have PSAs (Pupil Support Assistants) because they are desperately needed, not on a whim. What is the council thinking?
“How much a monster saving is going to be achieved cutting lollipop ladies? It’s pennies.
“In terms of lives though and safety it is a massive issue. They are a necessity, not a luxury.”
She added: “I can’t believe this is happening. This is a dereliction of duty.”
Labour Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant said: “What is happening is down to the SNP Government and while we can talk numbers the important thing to remember is that these cuts will impact on people’s daily lives. It is just terrible.
“Children who have had their education interrupted, or those who need additional support, will be affected which is just not acceptable.”
A council spokeswoman said: “A wide range of proposals are being considered and discussed with unions and staff who may be affected.
“We have managed to protect education in previous years, and there were no new saving measures for schools last year.
“But the scale of cuts imposed on the council over successive years means it is no longer possible to sustain that level of protection.
“We remain committed to supporting education and maintaining teacher numbers as far as we can, and especially for primary schools and rural communities.
“Other councils have made savings on additional need services in previous years and we are now having to consider that.
“Other than this, there will be no reduction in 90% of Highland schools, as we will protect all primary schools and our smaller secondary schools.”
She added: “These schools are at the heart of our communities and they will have no reduction in core teaching hours.
“Indeed, we intend redressing some of the most challenging budget reductions that were imposed on our smallest primaries in recent years by restoring around #250,000 to their budgets. That will help their sustainability in future years.
“In addition, we will be passing the full funding of teacher pay awards for every school, ensuring the increases in school rolls are fully funded, and investing more money in early learning and child care.”
She stressed: “These proposals will be considered by elected members in coming weeks, and no decisions will be made until the council meeting on February 15.”