West Bloomfield School Board to Vote on Privatizing Tonight

For the past two months, of Education members have been researching the  for the district's transportation and custodial services.

It's a move that administrators say would save the district up to $5.7 million over three years, and in a time when the district is facing difficulties with budget cuts in non-instructional school services from Lansing, one that is necessary to at least consider.

But some parents, along with employees of the custodian and transportation departments, have expressed concerns with the outsourcing of individuals who will be in such close contact with students. 

Those pros and cons will be debated at a 7 p.m. regular school board meeting tonight.

President Bruce Tobin said in March that the district’s dire financial straits is the only reason that the board is considering the controversial privatization issue.

"It pains me to be in this condition," Tobin said at . "You are exceptional employees. But we are looking at millions of dollars in deficits. We’ve cut back everywhere."

He added that "at the end of the day, we have to make sure" that critical classroom functions stay in tact even if other areas have to be cut.

In a  of readers last month, 68 percent of the 45 respondents voted that they expected to the district to privatize. (The poll is not scientific.)

Also on tonight's agenda:

• Consideration to accept a maximum of 175 Schools of Choice students from grades K-2 in the upcoming 2012-13 school year, a decrease of 22.5 percent from this school year.
• Consideration authorizing the assistant superintendent to lay off teachers.
• Consideration to award bid for renovations at the high school and a replacement boiler.
• Consideration of a cooperative agreement between the district and the .

The meeting is in the media center of . The agenda with enclosures is available online at the district's website.

Monica Mercer contributed to this report.