Wednesday was the first day of classes for students in the embattled East Ramapo School District.

After years of program cuts and growing outrage, there is a renewed hope in the district.

The district has a school board dominated by Orthodox Jews who don't use the public schools, which are made up mostly of black and Hispanic students. Many parents accused the board of shortchanging the public schools while supporting Jewish yeshivas or private schools.

After investigating, the state Education Department concluded that the board did indeed favor Jewish schools. In response, three state-appointed monitors, including former New York City Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, were chosen to oversee reforms in the district.

Originally, many wanted the state monitors to have the power to veto the board's decisions, but Albany lawmakers failed to pass a bill to allow it.

Still, activists have been holding protests outside the homes of school board members throughout the summer to remind everyone that they will continue to keep a close eye on how the schools are run.