"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) "Culture Shift": Preparing Students for Today's Demands Requires Shift to Learner-Centered Instruction Powered by Digital Learning, New Alliance Report Finds; (2) "Diplomas Count": Gains in High School Graduation Rates for Latino and African American Students Boost National Graduation Rate to 73.4 Percent; (3) "Recent High School Graduates and the Great Recession": Only 27 Percent of Recent High School Graduates Have Full-Time Jobs, Report Finds; and (4) Another Wave of Waivers: Obama Administration Approves Eight More States for NCLB Waivers. (Contains 1 table and 1 footnote.)