Portland Hip Hop Highschool?

Story Updated: Dec 15, 2009 at 11:06 PM PST

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - The Portland School Board has given its blessing to establishing a new charter high school in 2011 that highlights hip-hop music and culture. Proponents of the High School for Recording Arts Portland will spend the next 18 months strengthening their academic curriculum.

The school board vote was 6-0 Monday night. While several board members said they had concerns about the school's academic curriculum, they also said they appreciated the school's potential to draw students who aren't being served in the current system.

The new school's director, Erica Jayasuriya, says its mission is to prepare students to be successful in society while engaging them through the recording arts that include hip-hop music, dance, spoken word and art.

The new school aims to serve about 200 students.