As time is running out for the state Legislature to determine where about 200 Duquesne High School students will go this fall, a coalition of charter schools has volunteered to take the students.

Tim Daniels, executive director of the Pennsylvania Charter Schools Coalition, yesterday said a group of charter schools -- led by Northside Urban Pathways, Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School and Propel Schools -- is ready to educate students in various settings.

"We want them," said Dr. Daniels. "They will among themselves take every single student there and do it because they want to help."

But Michael Race, state Education Department spokesman, said state Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak is sticking with his proposal asking the state Legislature to empower him to assign students to multiple school districts.

The details have not been decided although state legislators have mentioned districts such as West Mifflin Area and East Allegheny. School boards in both communities have adamantly opposed the proposal.

The state Board of Control closed Duquesne High School for this fall because of serious financial and academic problems. Duquesne's K-8 program will remain open.

Mr. Race said Duquesne students already can choose a charter school.

"The vast majority of them have chosen to stay in a traditional high school," he said.

The charter proponents said the options could include Northside Urban Pathways, located Downtown, which has about 25 openings. It could also include students enrolled in cyber schools or students who would enroll in a new "blended" school at the current building housing the Duquesne High School. This would be a blend of bricks-and-mortar and cyber education.

Mr. Race said the charter proposal was sketchy on details, and a blended school in effect would amount to a new charter.

"You can't on your own slap two charter schools together and say we already chartered," he said.

Charter schools were established as schools of choice, and it was not clear immediately whether students legally could be assigned to them.

Mr. Race said the state's plan would preserve the students' choice.