"Straight A's: Public Education Policy and Progress" is a biweekly newsletter that focuses on education news and events both in Washington, DC and around the country. The following articles are included in this issue: (1) Congress Passes FY 2009 Omnibus Bill: Bill Will Provide $4.45 Billion Increase for U.S. Department of Education; (2) Individuals with Less Education Bear Brunt of Job Losses: As Unemployment Rate Hits 8.1 Percent, Individuals Seek to Upgrade Their Education; and (3) "The Atlantic Century": New Report Ranks the United States Sixth in Global Competitiveness. (Contains 4 footnotes.)