School Viability Reference Group members are unable to detail the contents of their report before its public release - which is expected today.

However, it is understood that the group has recommended two to three years of consultation with school communities before any are shut or amalgamated.

If adopted, that would mean schools could close in the next state election year: 2014.

Group chairman Royce Fairbrother confirmed yesterday that he would hand the report to Education Minister Nick McKim today.

He said he would not comment until after that was done, and said the report's release was a matter for the minister.

A spokeswoman for Mr McKim said he intended to release the report in full.

``He is hoping to release it tomorrow after he has had a chance to read through it,'' she said.

Education sources have said that the report recommends schools be considered for closure if they have:

A small number of students.

Declining enrolment.

High running costs.

Lower-than-expected student results.

Where there is an alternative.

Once such a school is identified, the report recommends that a process of consultation with that community take place over the next two to three years.

A major issue identified during the group's consultation phase was a high number of parents bypassing their closest school.

The government will need to consider if it will enforce boundaries that would restrict parents to their nearest state school or continue to allow choice.

School communities that were initially named on a closure hit-list yesterday expressed anxiety ahead of the report's release.

Many fear that the same criteria used by the Education Department to compile the hit-list in June will be used again.

Those schools included Avoca, Bracknell, Fingal, Meander, Mole Creek, Ringarooma and Westbury primary schools in the North.

The measure was expected to save the government $24 million over four years.

Rural communities are also demanding to be judged against different criteria, particularly enrolment numbers, to urban schools.