Newark Public Schools recently acknowledged that the water at its schools has contained high levels of lead for years. This is shocking but, sadly, not surprising given the neglect of public schools, especially those in poor communities, by Congress and state governments.

Last week Newark officials began offering blood tests for elevated lead levels in students after tests showed that drinking water at 30 of the district’s 67 schools exceeded the safety threshold established by the Environmental Protection Agency. But even levels below that standard — 15 parts per billion — are not acceptable. Public health experts say there is no safe amount of lead in water and that children exposed to the heavy metal can suffer irreversible damage to the neurological system.

The Newark district found high lead levels in water samples taken over the past four years and has promised to release the results from earlier years. District officials were aware of the hazard as early as 2004, and some steps, like installing water filters, were taken over the years.

There are striking parallels between Newark schools and the city of Flint, Mich., which is also struggling with a lead crisis. Both are distressed, both have a large minority population, and both are subject to state control — in the Newark school district’s case, for more than 20 years. Gov. Chris Christie’s administration needs to respond immediately, providing bottled water to the schools and figuring out how many children have been harmed.