Coweta County is set to have the first charter school in the south metro area, but officials won't know for a while if a charter school will open this fall or in 2000.

At last week's meeting of the state Board of Education, the board approved the county's petition for operating a charter school at the county's new Central Education Center, which will open in 2000.

But in making the ruling, the board also asked the Coweta County Board of education to try and mediate a dispute with the Odyssey Group, a company that wants to open another charter school this fall in the Thomas Crossroads area.

The Odyssey Group petitioned the local board last month to support its endeavor for opening a school that would initially serve about 200 students. When the board denied the request, the group took its proposal to the state board.

The state asked the local board to take another look at the proposal and see if the county and Odyssey Group could work out their differences.

In denying the petition, local board Chairman Mike Sumner cited the lack of a facility and funds to open the school. The state approved allowing charter schools in 1997. Charter schools are different from public school in that teachers don't have to be certified in education and parents can help set the curriculum at the schools.

During Wednesday night's called school board meeting, superintendent of education Richard Brooks said the state is currently trying to establish a mediation plan between the Odyssey Group and the school board.

"This has never happened before, so they have to figure out a procedure," Brooks said.

Brooks said he has long been a proponent of charter schools, but doesn't know if there's enough time to get Odyssey's proposal up and running by the fall.