"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) Senate Committee Reports Education Spending Bill: Senate Appropriations Bill Continues Cuts to Education Funding; Striving Readers Program One of Few to See Increase; (2) "Altered States": Economic Analysis Credits Investments in Education and Innovation for Higher State Per Capita Incomes; (3) "Findings from 20 States": Report Examines High-Performing Schools to Determine Best Practices; (4) Test Scores Fall for Michigan's High School Graduates: New High School Graduation Requirements Can't Come Fast Enough; and (5) Pittsburgh School Board Questions RAND Corporation Study About City's Graduation Rate. (Contains 1 footnote.)["Editor's Note": This issue of "Straight A's" contains a chart with funding levels for selected education programs designed to help middle and high school students.]