Councillors meet today for a crunch vote on plans for a radical shake-up of the way schools are run in the Highlands.
Education committee members were due to decide whether to start rolling out controversial new “cluster” schools across the region.
But MSPs joined forces last night to call for the vote to be delayed.
The plans, revealed by the Press and Journal last week, could leave head teachers being asked to start running up to five schools at the same time from this summer.
Local authority officials want to eventually introduce the model at every school in the region, and could approve changes affecting the first 38 secondaries and primaries today.
The new management arrangements have been initially proposed for schools connected to Kilchuimen Academy, Kinlochbervie High, Farr High, Mallaig High, Dornoch Academy, Plockton High, as well as some primaries feeding into Lochaber High and Millburn Academy.
The plans for north Sutherland have been particularly controversial, with parent councils and local representative Linda Munro furious at moves to have one head teacher and one deputy to cover Farr High School, Farr Primary, Altnaharra Primary, Tongue Primary and Melvich Primary.
There is also concern about the perceived lack of consultation.
Farr Primary parent council said: “It is not feasible to ask one head teacher and one depute to manage an experimental school arrangement over such a large geographical area and involving so many different communities.
“We feel the communities of the far north have been side-lined and ignored in an attempt to impose a one-size-fits-all solution which does not address the specific needs we have here.”
Caithness, Sutherland and Ross MSP Gail Ross said last night that it would be “wrong” to vote on the issue today given the concerns.
She said: “There has been next to no consultation on the proposal and the views of parents or parents council have not been taken into account.
“This proposal would mean a big change and present unique challenges given the distances involved. Therefore it should go through a rigorous process beforehand.”
Her SNP colleague, Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Kate Forbes also called for a deferral last night.
“Based on conversations with local councillors and correspondence from worried parents in my constituency, it would appear that there has not been sufficient consultation on this particular proposal,” she said.
“I completely understand that the council is facing some very difficult decisions with limited resources, but they are not short on time.”
