Pittsburgh school board member Randall Taylor last night said he'll push the Pittsburgh Public Schools to open its classrooms to students in the faltering Duquesne City School District.

The state board overseeing the Duquesne district is looking to place students in other districts. With continuing financial problems and only 195 students in high school now, Duquesne Board of Control Chairman Shawn Farr said, the district isn't able to provide an adequate education.

Mr. Farr said Wednesday that he had approached several districts about accepting, as early as fall, the 60 students now in Duquesne's eighth grade. Pittsburgh Superintendent Mark Roosevelt confirmed he'd had "very preliminary" talks about accepting Duquesne students.

Mr. Taylor said he heard one district already has rejected Duquesne's students and wants Pittsburgh schools to go out of the way to welcome them. He said he'll make the suggestion at Wednesday's board meeting and introduce a resolution that would direct district officials to study the possibility.