XENIA — The Xenia Board of Education is tonight expected to approve agreements that would permanently outsource its transportation, custodial and maintenance and information technology services departments.

“None of us ever thought this would be happening,” said Vickie Jones, Xenia bus driver and president of the Xenia Education Support Professionals union. “We were always told there would be (jobs in) public education.”

The outsourcing would affect 88 jobs, or 40 percent of the Xenia Community Schools staff. District officials said the outsourcing is expected to save the financially-strapped district $5 million over five years.

“Looking at the efficiencies from the business side, it makes sense,” said Mark Manley, Xenia Community Schools spokesman and teachers union president. “But, when you’re talking about it from the people side, it hurts.”

If approved at tonight’s board meeting, school bus transportation would be taken over by First Student Inc., which is based in Cincinnati; custodial and maintenance services would be handled through the Vandalia-based Waibel Energy Systems Inc.; and IT services would be taken care of by the Northwest Ohio Computer Association, which located is in Archbold, Ohio, west of Toledo.

The idea of outsourcing support staff positions was first broached by the district last year, and nearly led to a strike by the support professionals union in October. In March, the district presented its outsourcing proposal to the union, and gave them 30 days to come within 10 percent of the district’s offer before the jobs were put out to bid.

Jones said the union did not present a counter-proposal because it was unable to meet that percentage, but they responded with a letter saying they were willing to cooperate with the district.

She said the district has been “very open” throughout the process, but there is still a great deal of anxiety and frustration among the employees and the community regarding the outsourcing.

“A lot of people feel it’s going to hurt Xenia,” she said. “It just scares you because you wonder, ‘Where’s all this going to go?’ ”

Christy Fielding, Xenia’s director of business and technology, said if the board approves the outsourcing tonight, the district has planned hiring sessions Wednesday for support staff employees.

Part of the district’s initial proposal specified that these employees would get first consideration for these positions.

“All of the employees who are hired on for the district will be receiving a 2 percent raise and be eligible for overtime, which is minimal here (at the district),” Fielding said.

“For example, both Waibel and First Student offer overtime, and they would be part of their company.”

Jones, who has worked for Xenia Community Schools for 34 years, said she planned to attend the hiring sessions.

“We’re not sure if it’s just going to be giving us applications and a talk,” she said, adding she had heard the maintenance employees may get interviews that day. “I just hope it goes well for all the people involved.”

There are no school districts in the Dayton area, and Fielding said she had not heard of any in the state, taking outsourcing to this extent.

“Some Cincinnati and Columbus schools outsource their busing, and custodial outsourcing is mostly done at parochial schools,” she said.

Spokesman Patrick Gallaway said the Ohio Department of Education did not have data on outsourcing, but noted that many districts were going to a shared services model for IT and transportation.

“A lot of districts are being as creative as possible to save money,” Gallaway said.

Jones added that, if Xenia can make the outsourcing work, other districts likely will try it.

“It makes you wonder what it will all look like down the road,” she said.

It recently was announced that Xenia would outsource its school psychology positions as well, as part of its three tiers of comprehensive cuts. Thirty staff members, including seven teachers and four psychologists, will be laid off at the end of this school year.

District officials said more cuts would be made, trimming $2.6 million from its budget, if its 1.5 percent earned income tax replacement levy does not pass in August. The district has made $8.6 million in budget reductions since 2010.

Manley said there are no other departments currently being considered for outsourcing.

Tonight’s school board meeting will be held at 7:30 at the Xenia City Schools Central Office, 578 E. Market St., Xenia.

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7325 or jikelley@DaytonDailyNews.com.