Upper St. Clair parents are planning their next move after a controversial 5-4 school board vote Monday that abolished the district's International Baccalaureate program.

Some are looking into a recall of the majority, and an ad hoc committee is raising money for possible litigation. Some parents have even talked about starting an IB charter school. And students are pondering how to replace a program they think has no equal in the district.

"If there is one thing on which all agree,'' said Linda T. Ambroso, spokesperson for the committee, "it's to not let the matter rest.

"There are all kinds of ideas bubbling around,'' she said. "Our next stop is to organize these ideas into effective action."

That action starts at tonight's 7 p.m. planning meeting in the high school cafeteria.

The Monday vote means that starting in 2006-07, the district will not add any IB courses. However, the 17 students in the diploma program for juniors and seniors, which is additional to the regular high school diploma, will be allowed to complete their studies. Other than fees required for these students, the district will pay no more money to the International Baccalaureate Organization, the Geneva, Switzerland -based nonprofit that administers the program.

There are about 800 students in elementary, middle and high school who take IB classes. USC is one of only 35 districts in the nation to use the program in all three levels of education.

The program, which the district first offered eight years ago, includes alternatives to other advanced courses and aims to give students a world perspective and develop critical thinking skills.

The five directors who voted to eliminate the program had earlier said they opposed it on the grounds that it is Marxist, anti-Christian, un-American and too costly.

Monday, it was standing room only at the board meeting in the high school theater, where more than 1,000 students and parents turned out and booed the vote. Many had also protested outside the district's administration building, circulated petitions and started a Web site, www.KeepIB.org.

Despite these efforts, and calls to at least delay a vote, the program was rejected by President William M. Sulkowski, Vice President Mark G. Trombetta, and Directors David E. Bluey, Carol B. Coliane, and Daniel Iracki. All except Dr. Trombetta were candidates in last year's election.

Superintendent James D. Lombardo had urged school directors to keep the program, which is used by more than 1,700 schools in 122 countries.

Barbara L. Bolas, a director who voted against the cut, contended that the board hadn't followed a district policy of involving residents in decisions about curriculum and instruction.

After a presentation by administrators and teachers and a session for questions from directors, both of which took place at the board's academic committee meeting Feb. 13, the program was placed on Monday's agenda.

But, some directors and many residents have said that wasn't enough time for the board to study the program before voting on it.

"We haven't had a chance to follow our own procedure," Director Glenn G. Groninger said. "My problem with this process is I think there's been a real rush to judgment here."

But members of the majority said they opposed the program because, among other things, it removes local control of education, is too expensive and espouses inappropriate values.

Mr. Bluey said that, at the Feb. 13 meeting, "the data were very scant" in favor of keeping the program. He expressed concern that IB was taking money away from the gifted program and AP courses, which he said have far more national recognition.

Dr. Trombetta added that parents had complained that the district was spending too much money on high-level courses and not enough for pupils "in the middle."

Also, he suggested incorporating the best aspects of IB into AP classes.

Mr. Bluey suggested starting an international relations program to replace IB, although several parents called for an immediate replacement program.

School directors disagree on the program's total yearly cost, but estimates have ranged from roughly $40,000 to $250,000. Mr. Groninger said that even the highest estimate is less than 1 percent of the district's approximately $50 million budget.

Mrs. Ambroso said there has also been talk of establishing a parent watchdog group to monitor the board on issues of "fiscal responsibility" beyond the IB controversy.

"Parents are even more energized,'' she said.

"People are mad. They are hopping mad.''