NATCHEZ — Natchez-Adams School District officials anticipated the Natchez Early College Academy would move to the Alcorn State University’s Natchez campus this fall, however plans hit a snag when the Natchez-Adams superintendent was ousted.

The plan to move the academy from the Natchez High School campus to ASU involves a memorandum of understanding between Alcorn, Copiah-Lincoln Community College and NASD. Interim Superintendent Fred Butcher said the Alcorn board of directors has approved the MOU, but Co-Lin has not.

Co-Lin Vice President Teresa Busby said the college’s board has elected to wait until the school district has hired a new superintendent.

“The board did decide to wait to vote on whether or not to move the early college to our campus,” she said. “As a whole, the board felt it was fair, to whoever the new superintendent might be, to wait for them to make the decision, as to whether or not to move the early college out here.”

Busby said Co-Lin Natchez would still be working with NECA.

“We have always worked with NECA with dual enrollment and dual credit classes, and we will continue to do that,” she said. “We are excited about our relationship with the school system — it’s a great partnership.”

NECA Principal Kesha Broady-Campbell was at the Natchez-Adams School District board meeting Tuesday asking the trustees to show unity on the project. She said accelerating the program’s move would be beneficial.

“Most importantly, our ninth-grade class would be able to graduate with a full associate’s degree,” Campbell said. “I think a show of unity would encourage Co-Lin to move forward with plan.”

Butcher suggested a two-year agreement to show Co-Lin the district is serious.

“That way it doesn’t matter who the superintendent is,” he said. “They will see the board is very interested.”

The NECA discussion was a non-voting item on the school board’s agenda, Butcher said, because the new NASD administration needs to do more work before action can be taken. Details include finalizing a rental agreement with ASU, approving the NECA calendar, figuring out bus routes, scheduling meals, having a security and maintenance plan in place to create safety zones at Co-Lin and hiring additional staff.

The goal was to have NECA in operation at Alcorn starting in August for the 2016-17 school year.

NECA is located on the Natchez High School campus and is in its second year of operation. Approximately 170 students grades ninth through eleventh attend the school.

Students are already taking classes at Co-Lin during the morning. With the move, students would have more opportunities to take advantage of the college’s resources, Campbell said.

Busby said she believes the NECA campus will eventually move to Alcorn.

“We want it to work. It is a wonderful opportunity for our high school students,” she said. “We are excited about the success of the program.”