VISTA -- High school students in Vista could have the option, beginning next year, of taking a series of classes designed to prepare them for high-tech careers.

The Vista Unified School District board of trustees asked district officials Thursday to look into creating a multiyear program, similar to a college major, focused on jobs in information technology and other technology-driven careers.

"There isn't anything that is comprehensive and builds one semester upon another, one course upon another," Trustee David Hubbard said of the high-tech classes offered at the district's two main high schools. "What this potentially could do is create such a program."

The trustees asked district administrators to get together with teachers and the in-house information technology department to see if the idea is feasible and to put together a proposal by the middle of next year.

If the plan gets off the ground, the program could start as soon as next fall.

Board President Jim Gibson, who proposed the idea, said he sees it as a way to prepare students for high-paying jobs straight out of high school.

Gibson said he would like to see students learn what they need to know to enter the work force and have opportunities to earn important training certificates.

"In public education, we need to change the way we're looking at the world," he said at Thursday's meeting. "We need to realize we're in a different millennium.

Gibson said it upsets him to see companies importing programmers and technicians from other countries when schools in this country could prepare students for the same high-paying jobs.

"We have the intelligence here in America," he said. "We have the capability."

The board voted 4-0, with Trustee Carol Herrera absent, to look into the proposal.

The board also reviewed testing data released last week, which show more students passing state assessment tests than in previous years.

"We're actually moving everyone across the continuum," said Steve Green, coordinator of research and assessment. "We have a trend that is moving in the right direction."

The trustees seemed pleased with the numbers.

"I think we'll soon become one of the best districts in the county," Trustee Stephen Guffanti said after the presentation.

Still, district officials said the district may struggle to reach federal achievement goals for the large number of students learning to speak English.

In closed session before the public meeting, the board voted to extend contracts of four top administrators, including Superintendent Joyce Bales, whose contract was extended through 2012. None of the administrators was given a raise.

Contact staff writer Stacy Brandt at (760) 901-4009 or sbrandt@nctimes.com.