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Rialto school officials apologize for Holocaust assignment
What started as an eighth-grade critical-thinking writing assignment has become a source of relentless controversy for Rialto school officials, who apologized profusely and publicly this week for asking that students consider whether the Holocaust was created for political gain or didn’t happen at all. The assignment, developed by a group of teachers and the district’s educational services division, prompted widespread outcry and criticism. LA Times

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Test system supported nearly 200k students online
With nearly three-quarters of the state’s three million participating students having completed the inaugural field test of new Common Core-aligned assessments, early survey results show a majority of districts were satisfied with both the online testing system itself as well as training and resources available to educators administering the exams. S&I Cabinet Report

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Teacher firing bill would speed up some egregious cases
In her 11 years as a deputy superintendent, Tanya Krause has never finished firing a teacher. That’s not to say Krause hasn’t moved to dismiss teachers. But in each instance, after embarking on a case-building process that typically takes years and consumes tens of thousands of dollars, Krause has opted to send the teacher along with a paid settlement. Sacramento Bee

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Sensitivity training on foster youth issues needed, advocates say
Under the new school finance system, the state will soon be sending districts lists of their foster students so schools can direct more resources to them. Although the students will benefit, they fear their personal lives may be widely exposed and they may be stigmatized if educators don’t handle the information sensitively.“Foster kids are very nervous about this,” said Michael Paynter, the Foster Youth Services liaison for the Santa Cruz County Office of Education. EdSource

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Glendale Unified continues to mull over Sagebrush
The Glendale school board is looking to make a decision next month on whether to transfer the Sagebrush territory to the La Cañada Unified School District. Glendale school officials announced Tuesday they hired True North Research to perform a survey in the La Cañada district. Approximately 1,600 registered voters will be contacted this week, said company president Timothy McLarney. Glendale Press