State Education Secretary Gerald L. Zahorchak decided to send students from the former Duquesne High School to the East Allegheny and West Mifflin Area school districts because they're nearby, perform well academically and have the capacity to absorb newcomers without undue hardship.

In a telephone news conference yesterday, Dr. Zahorchak repeatedly expressed confidence that the "good people" of East Allegheny and West Mifflin Area would be gracious hosts to the nearly 200 Duquesne students, saying, "These are good kids."

But he also expressed his resolve to implement the plan, despite opposition from some residents and a possible legal challenge from East Allegheny.

"This is the law," he said.

East Allegheny and West Mifflin Area long had been considered likely candidates to take Duquesne students.

Dr. Zahorchak said 65 percent of the Duquesne students will attend West Mifflin Area High School and 35 percent East Allegheny Senior High School, a division based on each school's population.

West Mifflin Area has 1,101 high school students, 18.5 percent of them black. East Allegheny has 590 high school students, 18.6 percent of them black.

In theory, the Duquesne students--predominately poor, 92.4 percent black and long denied educational opportunities their peers in other districts take for granted--will be able to choose which of the two schools they want to attend. But a lottery will be held if interest in either school exceeds the slots available.

Dr. Zahorchak said the arrangement will continue in future school years. "There's no expectation this will change."

Dr. Zahorchak's announcement does not affect Duquesne's elementary or middle-grade students. Duquesne will continue to operate classes for those students, with oversight from the Allegheny Intermediate Unit.

Duquesne residents have bemoaned the loss of their high school, while East Allegheny and West Mifflin Area residents have attended community meetings to say they didn't want Duquesne's high school students.

West Mifflin Area officials yesterday said they accepted Dr. Zahorchak's decision.

"It is now a law and we will abide by the law, and we'll make sure everyone gets an education and everyone is safe who goes to our school. We'll do the best we can," school board President John Donis said.

Daniel Beisler, East Allegheny solicitor, said he felt sorry for the Duquesne students' situation but likely would go to court Monday to demand more information about Dr. Zahorchak's decision.

"We've never been provided an explanation from the secretary of education as to why East Allegheny is the chosen border school to take the children," Mr. Beisler said. He also asked, "How are we going to be able to handle this with such short notice?"

Dr. Zahorchak implored residents of Duquesne and the other two districts to embrace his decision, calling it an "important step forward for this region."

"I encourage them not to make any challenges," he said.

Dr. Zahorchak's announcement was the latest development in a story that's been unfolding for more than a decade. A moribund economy and weak tax base slowly choked Duquesne's education system, leaving the high school without advanced courses, honors courses and the music, arts and language offerings commonly available at other high schools.

In a stopgap measure, Duquesne was managed by the Pittsburgh Public Schools this past school year. But early this summer, Dr. Zahorchak and Duquesne's state-appointed Board of Control decided on a major shift.

The board voted about six weeks ago to close the high school, and the Legislature this week authorized Dr. Zahorchak to assign the students to nearby districts.

East Allegheny and West Mifflin Area will be paid nearly $10,000 for each Duquesne student they enroll. The amount, set by the Legislature, breaks down into $9,000 for tuition, $385 for transportation and $500 for transition services.

Dr. Zahorchak said he selected East Allegheny and West Mifflin Area because they are directly east and west of Duquesne, respectively. East Allegheny High School is about 7 miles from the Duquesne Education Center; West Mifflin High School is about 2 miles from the Duquesne Education Center.

"Students will not have to travel far and districts will not have difficulty in providing transportation," Dr. Zahorchak said.

East Allegheny and West Mifflin Area "are in a position to welcome additional students without incurring costs that cannot be covered by the financial resources that they will receive from the per-pupil tuition rate."

Also important, Dr. Zahorchak said, were the districts' rich curricula and records of academic quality. The districts and their high schools met federal achievement benchmarks last school year.

But Fred Barker, whose daughter goes to West Mifflin Area High School, said he feared the Duquesne students would push class sizes to intolerable levels. He also worried about how lagging Duquesne students would fit in academically.

Administrators "acknowledge that the kids at Duquesne are one to two grades behind any school district surrounding them. The teacher's going to have to stop to bring those children up to speed. And that's going to affect my child's education," Mr. Barker said.

Dr. Zahorchak said the Allegheny Intermediate Unit will join other organizations in providing mentoring, tutoring and other services. With support, he predicted, Duquesne students will do well in their new environments.

Dr. Zahorchak said East Allegheny and West Mifflin Area school officials will hold an orientation session for Duquesne students at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Duquesne cafeteria.

Duquesne students must visit the Duquesne high school offices to register for a slot at West Mifflin Area or East Allegheny. Registration hours will be 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and July 30 and July 31. Additional hours will be 6 to 8 p.m. July 30 and 31.

If demand for one school exceeds slots available, a lottery will be held at 9 a.m. Aug. 3 in the Duquesne high school auditorium. Students will receive their school assignments by mail the week of Aug. 6.