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For Kia Drake-Cummings' six school-aged children, the classroom is their Baltimore County home — but they aren't being home-schooled.

Instead, Drake-Cummings' children, ranging in age from kindergarten through high school, attend public school online at Connections Academy, a Baltimore-based "virtual" school.

State officials are considering legislation, House Bill 1543, that would allow virtual schooling to take place statewide.

"In this virtual instruction program, excelling and achieving is encouraged," Drake-Cummings told the House of Delegates' Ways and Means Committee at a March 24 hearing.

Del. Joseph C. Boteler III (R-Dist. 8) of Carney and Del. Wade A. Kach (R-Dist. 5) of Cockeysville sponsored the legislation that would allow county school boards to establish a no-cost virtual school for public school students. The school would be required to provide the student with instructional materials, Internet access and access to any necessary equipment, such as a computer and a printer.

The bill would require virtual school students to have regular standardized testing, just as traditional schools do, and the schools would employ certified teachers.

Currently, Maryland high school students can take individual courses online through the Maryland Virtual Learning Opportunities program, which is managed by the state department of education. However, the program does not offer a full curriculum or a high school diploma. There is no online learning public school program in Maryland for elementary or middle school students.

The legislation does not specify at what grade level students would be able to take a full online curriculum. Currently, 21 states offer full-time online schools, many of which are virtual charter schools. Others are school district-run virtual schools, according to a legislative analysis of the bill.

If the legislation is approved, it is expected to cost the state an extra $3 million over two years for expenses such as reviewing and approving online courses. The state may also have to pay for additional aid to county school districts if home school or private school students opt to enroll in public virtual schools, as they would then be classified as public school pupils. State leaders also noted that it could save long-term capital funds if the need to build new schools decreases.

Counties' per-student expenses for virtual education are not expected to be higher, and could be lower, than costs of traditional schooling, according to the analysis.

At its March 26 meeting, the Prince George's school board voted unanimously to oppose the bill, as it did not include any additional funding from the state for the program. The $3 million would go toward the Maryland State Department of Education's oversight of the program, not to local counties to implement virtual education.

Before enrolling her children in virtual school last school year through a Baltimore County Public Schools pilot program, Drake-Cummings homeschooled them for several years but found that putting together curriculum materials for children of many different ages was very difficult.

When the Baltimore County program was discontinued due to lack of funds this year, Drake-Cummings opted to pay tuition to keep her children attending Connections Academy, a Baltimore-based virtual school program.

She is now the president of Emerging Minds of Maryland, a parent group that is seeking to have online school as an option for all students. The group seeks to have online school be a free, public school option for students throughout the state.

Among the advantages Drake-Cummings cites are the flexibility with lessons and the experience students get with technology.

"I think this was the best way to get my children to succeed in a global economy," Drake-Cummings said.

A Connections Academy representative did not return a call for comment.

According to the school's Web site, the school offers "live lessons" with real-time interaction online between teachers and students. Students are expected to complete lessons each day, and teachers communicate with students through the phone and electronically.

Bob Ross, PTSA president at Surrattsville High School, said he would have serious concerns with the proposal, including how the school system would be able to safeguard against cheating, how students would develop their social skills, and how parents who are not computer literate would supervise their children's schooling.

"You have to have some criteria to shift these students to the virtual program," Ross said, including that the students have the self-discipline to keep up with their lessons.

Laura Carriere, president of the Maryland Coalition for Gifted and Talented Education, said she thinks parents who are currently homeschooling may be interested in the virtual education option and some gifted children's parents may also want to consider virtual school.

"I hope it's not the way everybody will go at some point, but I think it's a great option for certain situations," she said.

E-mail Megan King at mking@gazette.net.