MARIETTA - It's official: Marietta City Schools will be among the first charter districts in the state and join a handful of other charter districts across the nation.

The state Board of Education voted 8-2 on Thursday to approve Marietta's charter-system petition. District leaders say the charter status will give them more flexibility in the number of students per class and the number of hours students must spend behind a desk, among other things.

Marietta officials sighed with relief once the votes were counted.

"I started the day somewhat apprehensive because there have been so many ups and downs throughout this process," said Dr. Emily Lembeck, Marietta school superintendent. The district first submitted its petition to the state board on Jan. 15.

Even so, she never lost faith that a charter would be good for Marietta, she said. As the system converts to local school leadership over the next three years, "governance teams," made up of parents, teachers, principals and community leaders will be created for each of the district's schools. Students will see the change beginning this fall. Marietta has 13 schools, and nearly 8,000 students.

Now, Lembeck said, "we have an opportunity to implement some of the ideas and practices that we provided in our charter petition. We just look forward to becoming an outstanding example of innovation and flexibility in a public school system."

The state board also approved the charter petitions of Decatur and Gainesville districts, but rejected Chattahoochee County's petition. The board approved a petition from Warren County last month.

The four approved systems will be the first charter districts in the state under the Georgia Charter Systems Act, signed into law in 2007. Each of the systems was approved for a five-year trial period that will begin this fall.

On Thursday morning, some members of the state board still had reservations about the charter systems. Linda Zechmann of southeast Georgia and Dr. Mary Sue Polleys, who represents the Columbus area, both voted against Marietta's petition.

"It would be my hope we would not award charters to systems to do business as usual," Zechmann said before again registering her opposition to Marietta's petition.

Countered state BOE member Brian Budette: "We're looking for local government, down in the grass roots. We're not allowing that if we get too far down into the weeds and try to micromanage everything in the petition. We've just got to let go and have faith that it's going to work." Burdette, of northeast Georgia, supported Marietta's petition.

Andrew Lewis, chief programming officer for the Georgia Charter Schools Association, said governance is a constant concern among charter schools. But the state board of education made certain to communicate its concerns and push decision-making down to the school level.

"In time we will see how seriously each school system takes that part of the charter to heart," Lewis said.

The board also approved $125,000 apiece in state initial implementation grants to Marietta, Decatur, and Gainesville on Thursday morning. Warren County received its share in May.

Marietta schools spokesman Thomas Algarin said Marietta could receive up to $600,000 more from the federal government for its conversion to charter-system status.

Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle lauded the state board's decision.

"Charter systems offer the truest form of local control," Cagle said, "and Georgia will see a genuine paradigm shift as more charter schools advance flexibility, innovation and resourceful teaching."

The Marietta school board voted in January to petition the state Department of Education to become a charter district. Two city schools, Sawyer Road Elementary and Marietta Charter School, are already charter schools.

efarnsworth@mdjonline.com

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