RICHLAND -- Our three local school districts are teaming up with Battelle to go where "no local school has gone before," creating a math and science-based high school.

It could open as early as next fall.

The goal is to produce scientists, not just teach kids about science.

So teachers said it's a school that will go way beyond the pythagorean theorem and the periodic table.

"We're the only one that I know of, we're the first and I think this will be groundbreaking for our state," President of the Richland School Board Richard Jansons said.

The Tri-City school is planning for engineers, mathematicians and scientists in the making.

"I think we've heard a call across the nation for science and engineering," Jansons said. "That's why they're doing it."

"They can go in and learn what they want to do and help them in their futures," Donna Bagley, a parents to a couple of kids in the Richland School District.

The plan calls for 400 students from the Pasco, Kennewick and Richland School Districts, and it's not just for the math prodigy bringing home the straight "A" report card.

"It will reach a lot of kids traditional high schools don't reach and get them excited about math and science and technology and engineering," Jansons said.

"I've never been fond of schools who only allow certain kids to go there so I think it's going to be great," Bagley said.

Students can still expect to read Shakespeare or learn about world civilization, but their main curriculum will center around science.

The plan is to build next to WSU tri-cities and Battelle, at least for the first years, where kids can get hands-on experience.

"A junior might be working on microscopes next to a PNL professional," Jansons said.

While the state still struggles with how to get its students to meet WASL standards in science and math, there is a new hope in the tri city schools.

"I'm not too fond of the WASL but it will be interesting to see how they teach it and if it's a concern," Bagley said.

"You're living in a science world, a technology world," Jansons said. "We're trying to produce citizens to compete in that world."

School leaders just announced the project Wednesday, so teachers said there is still a lotof work to do between now and next fall.

With only 400 kids, their biggest challenge may be, how they choose who enrolls.

And while the school does venture into uncharted territory, it's not a complete shot in the dark.

Battelle modeled the science school after one is already in its second year in Ohio.

That school uses a lottery system, but teachers said it's still too early to tell what the enrollment system will be like in the Tri Cities.

To learn more about the program in Ohio, check out www.themetroschool.com.

Battelle already dropped $70,000 to figure out the technological details.

The rest of the cash for the classes will be funded through the state.