NATCHEZ — A charter school in Natchez became more likely Wednesday as the state’s authorizer board declared a local group’s application eligible and complete to move forward.

Phoenix Early College Charter School, which would operate grades 9-12, was one of three applications that were given a green light Wednesday by the state’s Charter School Authorizer Board.

Thirty groups across the state submitted letters of intent in January, with three of those groups submitting letters to open schools in Natchez.

Phoenix Early College Charter School (PECCS) was one of 12 that made it through to the approval process Wednesday.

Click here to view the full, 192-page application for the Phoenix Early College Charter School

Phoenix Project Community Development Foundation Inc. was created in part by Natchez native Iretha Beyah, who has advocated for charter schools in the area before, including in Fayette, Waterproof and Ferriday.

The group is seeking to open an early college high school model that would have open enrollment for students in ninth through 12th grades, with a plan of opening to 75, ninth grade students in 2015.

The school would increase each year in grade level until reaching 12th grade in 2019 with a total of 300 students in the school.

Beyah said she was pleased to see the charter board had given the group permission to move forward with bringing new educational opportunities to Natchez.

“I feel like people are ready for a change, and they would like to see at least an option and choice in education,” Beyah said. “We don’t need to be arguing or pointing the finger about how we got here, we just need to be about offering our children something different than the options than what’s out there now.”

The charter school will be located within the City of Natchez, likely on the campus of Alcorn State University, according to Beyah and the group’s 192-page application.

Group members met with administrators at Alcorn State University in March, who “verbally expressed their interest in providing the facilities” for the charter school, according to the application.

The application states another meeting was scheduled later that month to examine available space.

Beyah said the meeting was a successful one, with Alcorn officials hearing the group’s plans to either take over available space at the university’s Natchez campus or construct a new space near the campus.

“They were excited to take it onto the next level, but no decision was made at that time,” Beyah said. “Right now, we’re looking at all the options but that’s our No. 1 option because we would like for those students to have a college presence.”

Clara Stamps, vice president for media relations at Alcorn, released a statement Wednesday on behalf of the university.

“Alcorn State University has made no commitments to any charter school applicants concerning locating a charter school on any of its campuses,” the statement read.

The school’s curriculum would revolve around project-based learning and character and leadership development, among other instructional methods.

The application states the school would develop a partnership with Alcorn State University and Copiah-Lincoln Community College to provide college-level classes.

After finishing the program, students would graduate with a high school diploma plus college credits for transfer to a four-year college to complete a bachelor’s degree, technical certificates or an associate’s degree representing successful completion of a two-year college degree program.

Enrollment into Phoenix Early College Charter School would be by open lottery. If the number of applications exceeds the number of seats allotted, applications would be drawn to fill the seats. The remaining applications would be drawn and placed on the PECCS waiting list for seats that may become available.

The interests of those students attending the school would decide any potential extra-curricular activities.

The school would be operated with a contractual agreement with Charter Pros, the consulting and management organization of Robertson Charter School of Decatur, Ill.

The company offers a “cafeteria” of services from which the Phoenix group would choose from.

Beyah said the group had yet to identify a school leader, but hopes to have one in place by May 8, when evaluators will interview the three remaining groups.

Of the original 12 groups that had applied, one withdrew.

Four didn’t provide more information when the board requested it. Four others were rejected Wednesday as ineligible or having incomplete applications.

The state board plans to vote on approving applications June 2, finalizing contracts with any approved schools later that month.

Beyah said the group would continue hosting informational sessions within the community for residents to learn more about the school and ask any questions they may have.

“We want to start having those on a consistent basis to give those people looking for a choice in their children’s education to meet with us and see what we have to offer,” Beyah said. “We don’t want to be in a fight with anyone at the public school system, it’s just another option.”