Pittsburgh school board members discussed a major overhaul of the district's career and technical education programs last night, debating a plan to create six specialized "Academies of Excellence."

At a cost in excess of $20 million, the district would eliminate duplication by creating just one academy per career focus, said Dr. Julia Stewart, executive director of career and technical education.

Under the proposal, Pittsburgh Carrick would host a business, finance and information technology academy, Pittsburgh South Annex would have a construction and trades academy, Pittsburgh Brashear would have a transportation and logistics academy, Pittsburgh Allderdice would host an engineering technology academy, Pittsburgh Westinghouse would have a consumer sciences academy and a yet-to-be-determined location, possibly on the North Side, would have a health sciences academy.

The locations were chosen based partly on where successful career programs already exist. "Where we see a strong program, we wouldn't abandon it," said Dr. Stewart. "We would build on what we already have."

The proposal received a mixed reception among school board members, several of whom questioned whether students would be willing to travel from their home school to pursue career education.

"I can never imagine anyone from the South Hills going all the way to Westinghouse to take cosmetology," said Theresa Colaizzi, chairwoman of the school district's negotiating committee. "It's not going to happen."

Ms. Colaizzi asked the district to seriously examine the cost of renovating Connelley Technical Institute and Adult Education Center in Uptown for use as a "one-stop shop" career education center. A preliminary estimate on that renovation would be upwards of $40 million, said Paul Gill, the district's chief operations officer.

Under the career education plan, programming would begin in third grade and "satellites of success" programs could possibly be established for robotics at Pittsburgh Peabody; graphic design, visual and performing arts at Pittsburgh High School for the Creative and Performing Arts; and environmental sciences at the Science and Technology Academy.

The school board last night also considered changes to the magnet program policy in light of the U.S. Supreme Court's June 2007 ruling that it is unconstitutional to use individual racial classification to achieve racial balance.

Attorney Jocelyn Kramer recommended that the district remove any reference to "racial balancing" in its print materials and instead refer to the magnet program's purpose as "to enhance diversity and reduce, eliminate or prevent minority group isolation."

She also recommended that the district work with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission to develop a new policy that would comply with the Supreme Court's ruling.