The Highline School District has decided to closely study proposed legislation that could determine whether White Center and other North Highline schools might leave the district if Seattle annexes the unincorporated area.

Evergreen High and Cascade Middle as well as White Center Heights, Mount View, Southern Heights, Hilltop and Beverly Park/Glendale elementary schools could be included.

Currently, attendance areas may be switched between school districts if the majority of both school boards agree or a petition is signed by more than half of the registered voters in the affected area.

House Bill 2148, introduced in the Legislature last session, would eliminate that school board option.

A majority of legislators in the House Education Committee recommended passage but the legislation did not make it out of the Rules Committee. It could resurface in the next session.

Seattle School District officials have indicated no interest in taking over the schools and Mayor Greg Nickels has said the schools would remain in the Highline District, although the mayor has no direct control of such issues.

There would be no change if Burien annexes North Highline.

Highline Superintendent John Welch said the district would confer with attorneys and present an update at a board executive session.

Welch said the process for changing school districts is very involved. The local educational service district would mediate between the two districts.

A compelling reason would have to be established for the switch, according to Welch.

Highline recently replaced White Center Heights and Mount View elementaries using bonds approved by district voters. Who would repay the debt on the bonds is an intriguing question if Seattle takes over the schools? Welch asked.

Seattle taxpayers would not want to repay the debt since they did not vote for it, while fewer Highline taxpayers would have to take on a larger debt if the district loses the territory.

The schools would not automatically go to the Seattle district if Seattle annexed North Highline.

Passage of the legislation would make it more difficult for Seattle to take the schools from Highline. But, said board member Tom Slattery, it is a situation the board could confront in the next few years.

Board president Matt Pina added that if Seattle does not take over the schools it would be the first instance where schools within the Seattle city limits are not operated by the Seattle School District.

However, board member Susan Goding labeled as "goofy" the idea that Seattle would complete a "hostile takeover" of Highline district schools.

Goding also disagreed with her board colleagues concerning flags of foreign countries that are displayed along with the American flag at district headquarters and some schools.

She said she understands the flags represent the diversity of Highline students.

However the students are Americans now and some of the flags are from governments from which the students or their parents fled, Goding said.

She voiced particular discomfort with the Iraqi flag, which says in Arabic, "God is Great," and a South Vietnam flag that represents a country that has not been in existence for 30 years.

Goding proposed that other symbols be used for the home countries of students.

But Slattery said, "I like the flags. They remind the students of where they came from and where they can go. Just because we put up the flag doesn't mean we endorse the government."

Pina added he has heard only positive comments about the flags.

"We should allow the staff to decorate in a way that connects with the community," Pina said.

Board members also passed unanimously without comment a $167.9 million general fund budget for the 2007-2008 school year.

The capital projects fund was set at $136.1 million and the debt services fund at $21.5 million.

Eric Mathison may be reached at 444.4873 or ericm@robinsonnews.com