HARRISBURG -- The lobbying groups for Pennsylvania school boards and public school teachers don't often see eye to eye on education policy.

But they agree on the need for the state to more strictly regulate cyber charter schools -- which enable students to learn at home, using the Internet to connect to teachers and classroom materials -- and take on the full burden of paying for them.

A bill that would require the state to fund cyber schools and limit the amount of tuition the schools can charge has the support of the Pennsylvania School Boards Association and the Pennsylvania State Education Association, the state's largest teachers union.

That makes cyber school administrators uneasy. Pennsylvania has 11 cyber schools that enroll 17,000 students.

"If we have to fight against their heavy lobbying efforts, where they have dozens of people that can meet with legislators all day on Capitol Hill ... and our message doesn't reach them in time, I believe some very dangerous legislation could be passed," said Jim Hanak, chief executive officer of Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School, a West Chester-based cyber school.

The legislation sponsored by Rep. Karen Beyer, R-Lehigh, calls for the state Department of Education to pay for cyber schools but would limit the amount of tuition the schools can collect to a range of $3,000 to $5,000 per pupil, depending on a school's enrollment.

Under the state's 1997 charter school law, school districts must pay tuition rates that are equivalent to roughly 75 percent of the state and local tax dollars they spend per pupil -- an amount that varies widely from district to district. Those rates apply to children enrolled in cyber schools and more traditional "bricks and mortar" charter schools.

Given that cyber schools' enrollment isn't restricted by geographical boundaries, it makes more sense for the state to pay for them, association President James Weaver said.

Cyber school administrators argue that Ms. Beyer's proposed formula would put them out of business.

They say the notion that cyber schools cost much less than traditional schools is wrong because they incur significant technology expenses, such as providing each student with a computer and an Internet connection, using an online curriculum and equipment maintenance.

But Ms. Beyer insists that her bill merely seeks to control the cost of cyber education and make the schools more accountable to taxpayers.

Her bill is currently in the House Education Committee, which plans to hold hearings on the measure over the summer.