The West Mifflin Area School District is planning to bring students back into the cyber fold.

Last week, the school board gave the go-ahead for officials to establish a pilot program in online learning. This cyber charter school, initially grades nine-12, would be available for the 2009-2010 school year to area students currently enrolled in cyber programs elsewhere.

West Mifflin has roughly 40 students currently enrolled elsewhere in cyber charter schools who would be eligible next year. The cost to the district is significant: $16,986 in tuition for each special education student, $8,478 for each regular education student, according to district spokeswoman Robyn Tedesco.

"We are paying out too much money and, really, we want to educate the kids who live in this community in this system," West Mifflin Assistant Superintendent Janet Sardon said.

Dr. Sardon added that a committee was formed last school year to explore the possibility of creating a cyber school. The district will hire a teacher to help plan math, science and social studies, but the actual classes with have a teacher for each content area.

It's possible that traditional students will eventually have the option of switching to the cyber school, but, Dr. Sardon said, "Right now, our first priority is to get back our students from outside the district."

In Pennsylvania, there are numerous online choices that are part of the state public school system. As such, tuition is free to the student and paid for by the home school district. Some state reimbursement is available to the home school district but, as West Mifflin officials note, having students attend classes outside and online is still a costly alternative.

Allegheny Intermediate Unit offers Pennsylvania Learners Online. Two other prominent programs are Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School in Midland and Agora Cyber Charter School, based in Devon, at the extreme southeast corner of the state.

"There is talk in the Legislature that they are trying to push, at the state level, that if a district has a cyber school, then the district does not have to pay," Mrs. Tedesco said.

"We are trying to be proactive, but we also know that we can serve our kids better [than outside cyber schools]. And if they complete our program, they will receive a diploma from the West Mifflin Area School District."