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Its over.

Finally. Officially.

No more procedural steps. No more maybes.

New Jerseys takeover of Newark Public Schools formally ended Wednesday, almost 25 years to the day that the state stripped local control from its largest school district.

I am just glad I lived to see this day come, said longtime state Sen. Ron Rice, D-Essex. I never felt that we should be taking the districts over.

The state Board of Education voted unanimously Wednesday to end state oversight of the district, which has been operating independently for two years under a state-approved transition plan. The district met all benchmarks that had been set and proved its ready to move forward on its own, state officials said.

This is a historic day for the great city of Newark, said Roger Len, the school district superintendent. We have learned from the past, are preparing for a promising future and are committed to working tirelessly to provide a first-class education for all of the children of the City of Newark.

State board member Arcelio Aponte, a product of Newark schools, said the boards vote amounted to justice for the city.

I am particularly proud today to complete this journey, Aponte said.

The vote officially ends a takeover that stirred decades-long tensions between the state and Newark leaders, who had little leverage over their schools.

The state took control in July 1995, following a probe that produced a 1,798-page report accusing Newark school leaders of mismanagement, neglect and corruption. The investigation found conflicts of interest, crumbling school facilities and inequitable distribution of resources, all part of an atmosphere that collectively would virtually ensure academic failure.

But under New Jerseys control, a revolving door of state-appointed superintendents with veto power over school board decisions often rankled residents in a community eager for better-performing schools.

The process of regaining control has been long and gradual, with the final steps beginning in 2017. Though Wednesdays vote was largely a formality, its impact shows just how far the city has come, local leaders said.

We screamed for two decades, Give us back our schools, state Sen. Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex said. We have our schools.

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Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Tell us your coronavirus story or send a tip here.

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N.J.s takeover of Newark schools is officially over 25 years later - NJ.com