D’Alessandro said she supported and was pleased by the amendments.

“They keep intact every goal of our plan,” she said.

Each committee member then spoke, demonstrating unanimous approval of the plan. Committee member Alice Turkel, who controversially postponed the vote at the last meeting saying she had amendments of her own to introduce, lauded the plan. Committee member Susana M. Segat was absent from the meeting.

All attending members of the School Committee recognized the importance of the vote.

“This is the most important vote I will take,” said Turkel.

Simmons called the Controlled Choice Plan a “brave new step.”

“It is incumbent on us to make sure that school improvement moves forward,” she said.

As the plan passed, audience members cheered. Cambridge Mayor Anthony D. Gallucio beamed with happiness.

“I said we could do it, but tonight is the gift of a lifetime,” he said.

“I am overjoyed. The mayor did a fabulous job with this,” said CRLS senior Paul Heintz.

—Staff writer Claire A. Pasternack can be reached at cpastern@fas.harvard.edu.