The state Department of Education has extended the deadline for schools to request increases to instructional time or convert waiver days to instructional time to offset the 17 furlough days that begin today.

The deadline had been yesterday, but because of the large number of schools making requests, it was extended to Nov. 13.

Jill Zodrow, an educational specialist for the department who works with School Community Councils, said about 80 schools have made requests to add instructional time so far. The earliest the state Board of Education can act on the first batch of requests is Nov. 5.

"They're still coming in, and we anticipate more to come in," she said.

The requests must be approved by a school's School Community Council and a two-thirds vote of teachers. The requests then go before a four-member panel of the BOE and the Hawaii State Teachers Association and then the full school board for final approval.

Classroom instruction time could be added to Wednesdays, when the school day is shorter. Schools can also request to convert up to six waiver and planning days to instructional time. Some schools have already used some of the waiver and planning days this school year and are unable to convert all of the days.