MARIETTA - The Cobb school board is requesting permission from the state to increase class sizes, shorten the number of days in the 2010-11 school year and lengthen the school day in the event of a budget shortfall.

"The reason we're doing this is because of the changing economic times," Dr. Judi Jones, the school district's chief accountability officer, told the school board at its Wednesday meeting.

"There's been a steady decline in our revenues. We know that we're going to need a lot of flexibility to plan our programs for next year, maintain a high level of educational quality for students, try to save jobs, but in order to do that we may need the flexibility that waiving these rules will allow," Jones said.

Board Vice Chairwoman Lynnda Crowder-Eagle made the motion, seconded by Holli Cash, with the board voting 7-0 to send a resolution to the Georgia Department of Education, requesting the waiver.

"The waiver to convert the calculated school day to hours would give flexibility to potentially lengthen the school day, and thereby shorten the school year," district spokesman Jay Dillon said, noting students would still receive the same amount of instructional time.

Fulton County is proposing something similar right now, he said.

The waiver would also allow Cobb to increase the number of students over the state maximum class size limit by four students for high school gifted classes, elementary school early intervention program classes, middle and high school remedial classes and career, technical and agricultural education classes.

The waiver would also allow Cobb to increase English Language Learner classes in first through 12th grades by three students over the state limit.

This year the state allowed all Georgia school systems to have two students over the maximum limit for regular education courses. Cobb took advantage of this waiver by adding an extra student in all grades for the current school year.

School board member Alison Bartlett said while she supported requesting the waiver in the event it's needed next year, she wanted any of the above changes to come back to the board for approval if the decision was made to increase class sizes or change school days or hours.

"It is important to note that these changes, if approved, would not take effect until next school year (2010-11). It is even more important to note that we do not plan to implement these changes except in an emergency financial situation, if one should occur," Dillon said.