Community conversations will begin soon about closing down three schools in the Selma School System.

Selma Superintendent Don Jefferson told the school board in its work session Tuesday he wants to start the conversation with the public about closing Byrd and Phoenix schools as well as the School of Discovery in 2013.

Jefferson said he prepared a cost analysis that shows the school system could save about $500,000 a year if the schools closed.

“The whole thing is cost-saving measures,” he told the school board.

The last couple of years, the school system has lost $9.5 million because of proration ordered by the governor. Jefferson expects another $2-3 million hit this year if pro-ration is declared. Then, there’s the matter of paying for construction of the new Selma High School.

“Funds are going to be tight,” he said.

But there are other issues to think about.

For instance, the school system would have to consider adding buses to its transportation fleet to take children to the other schools, Jefferson said.

Experts at the state Department of Education are working on an analysis of what the Selma School System would need in terms of buses and costs to the system, Jefferson said.

Tenured teachers and principals would have to move around to other places in the system. Those without tenure would likely find themselves jobless.

Still, it’s early to begin talking about buses and other details, he said.

First, Jefferson wants the school board to look carefully at his analysis. He encouraged questions — and school board members asked them.

All three schools are in the district of Frank Chestnut Jr. He spoke of the academic achievements of Byrd School, but the superintendent countered with Byrd is losing students each year.

“You’ve got to look at it in total,” Jefferson said. “Performance can’t be just academics. You have to look at the variables.”

Hicks reminded the school board this is a conversation and the public will have its opportunity to speak out at town hall meetings in the future. No dates for the meetings have been set. The school board must approve the measure first.

The school board meets Thursday, Jan. 13, 6 p.m. at Byrd on Lapsley Street.

This is not the first time closing of schools has become the topic of conversation for the school board. Less than a year ago, the former superintendent Austin Obasohan and the school board met in a series of closed-door sessions and discussed closing Byrd Elementary and the School of Discovery. No action was taken.

School board member Holland Powell was absent from the work session. Powell has consistently advocated closing down the schools to generate more income for the school system.