"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) Democrats Consider Leftover Spending Bills: Coalition of Health and Education Advocates Pushes for $2 Billion in Additional Spending; (2) "Tough Choices or Tough Times": New Commission Recommends Radical Changes to American Education System; (3) "From Cradle to Career": "Education Week" Report Stresses Education as a Continuum, Highlights States Providing the Best Opportunity for Student Success; and (4) "Fiscal Survey of the States": With Budget Surpluses, States Restore Funding to Previously Cut Programs, Keep a Careful Watch on Changes in the Economy and Medicaid Costs.