KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — An all-boys charter school is one step closer to opening a location in Knoxville after meeting with a review committee.

The Knox County Schools Charter Review committee met with representatives from Knox Prep on Wednesday morning. The same team behind the Chattanooga Preparatory School is planning to bring the grades 6 through 12 charter school for all boys to Knoxville.

“We are not a private school, we don’t charge a tuition, we are tuition-free. The only pre-requisite to come to our school is that you live in Knox county so we do a blind lottery,” Brad Scott, CEO of PREP Public Schools, said.

The idea to open a location in Knoxville started nearly two years ago.

“We have been getting calls in the last year and a half saying can you do this in Knoxville? We even had a parent call to ask if there was a bus that goes from Knoxville to Chattanooga every day,” said Scott.

In February, Knox Prep submitted its 385-page application document to Knox County Schools.

“A capacity committee has been appointed by the Board of Education. that capacity committee consists of representatives from the Knox County School system,” Scott said. “They asked us questions about our application, clarifying questions more our model.”

The prep school’s curriculum, finances, and standards were all discussed in the meeting. Both parties believe the meeting went well.

“The committee gave us a lot of encouragement, but also a lot of questions to make us think and give us self-feedback. I think that’s the value of this process,” Scott said.

“I felt like it went well. I think we got a chance to get many of our questions answered and Knox Prep had a chance kind of give us their vision and their ideas for the future,” Julie Thompson with Knox County Schools said.

The school board of education will vote on the matter on April 6. If the charter school is given the thumbs up, the plan is to open in 2024. The first year will be just 6th graders and the school planning on adding a higher grade level each year.