"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) "The Gap Defined": ACT Report Cites Poor State Standards and Assessments as Possible Reason for Gap Between Postsecondary Expectations and High School Practice; (2) Expert Teacher Panel Advocates Merit Pay for Teachers: New Report Outlines a New Framework for Teacher Compensation; and (3) "Beating the Odds": New Report Shows Improvement in Math and Reading Among Urban Schools. (Contains 1 footnote.)