Police officers could be pulled out of three Highline high schools in January if the school district cannot reach agreement with Burien, SeaTac and King County on funding.

Superintendent John Welch has recommended that funding for school resource officers (SROs) be cut from the district's budget.

The district faces a $3.1 million general budget shortfall.

At a June 14 study session, interim budget director Barb Piguet upped the estimate on how much could be saved by eliminating the positions staffed by King County Sheriff's deputies at Highline, Tyee and Evergreen high schools.

Piguet said the district could save $180,000 by making the cut. According to district spokeswoman Catherine Carbone Rogers, the district would save about $212,000 by eliminating all three positions but plans to spend $32,000 for increased training for the district's security officers. About half of the savings would come just from eliminating the Highline High SRO.

Board President Phyllis Byers argued "the municipalities should step up" to pay more for the funding of the officers.

"I'm not sure we should fund something not in our (core education) mission," Byers declared.

Highline cities and King County used to pay for the police officers assigned full time to the high schools, but federal grants for that purpose have dried up.

Interim Burien City Manager David Cline said that city is continuing talks with the district over funding for an SRO at Highline High.

Cline noted the district pays about $110,000 a year for the officer while the city pays $20,000.

Burien is just beginning its 2007 budget process so no funding decisions have been made, Cline added.

The city of SeaTac had paid the full cost for an officer at Tyee until an agreement with the district in May. The district agreed to pay $50,000 for the SRO in exchange for SeaTac contributing $50,000 for a Tyee student health clinic.

SeaTac paid for a second officer at Chinook Middle School before 2004.

"We are concerned that the funding formula has been haphazard," SeaTac City Manager Craig Ward declared. "It is a simple question of equity."

District officials have reported that fights between students at Tyee have lessened, allowing the SeaTac SRO to spend more time at neighboring Chinook.

The officials credit Tyee's conversion to small learning communities for the lessening violence. Highline will convert to the communities in September.

SeaTac resident Byers suggested at the study session that the Tyee SRO "is not as necessary as before."

Ward countered in a later interview, ""It is premature to pull the officer out of Tyee and declare victory."

The SRO at Evergreen in unincorporated North Highline is funded by King County. Welch was scheduled to meet with King County Sheriff Sue Rahr on June 16 to discuss funding.

Since Burien and SeaTac contract with the county for police services, Welch told board members he would also talk about funding for Highline and Tyee SROs.

Mt. Rainier will retain its police officer because of an agreement with Des Moines to allow high school students to be housed at Olympic while Mt. Rainier is being rebuilt. The officer is required to patrol parking and traffic at the residential site.

The district also employs a security officer at each high school as well as two security officers in each high school service area. Area security officers also patrol nearby middle and elementary schools.

Board Vice President Matt Pina complained at the study session that the district's security officers have been "underrated" by those seeking to retain the SROs.

Welch has also recommended that the district save $25,000 by eliminating the driver's education program.

He said students will still be able to take driving lessons this summer, but he is moving forward with reassigning the traffic safety staff.

The district will present its 2006-07 budget at the June 28 board meeting and hold a public hearing on July 10. The board is expected to adopt the budget Aug. 9.