"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) Waiting Game Continues for FY 2011 Appropriations: Short-Term Spending Measure Averts Government Shutdown, Postpones Decisions on Larger Spending Cuts; Senate Likely to Hold Key Votes on March 8; (2) Back to the Future: Secretary Duncan Defends Obama's FY 2012 Budget Before Senate Budget Committee; (3) Talkin' Turnaround: Joined by Former Governor Jeb Bush, Obama Highlights Need to Reform Nation's Lowest-Performing Schools; and (4) "The Nation's Report Card": Urban Districts Fall Behind National Average in Science Exam. (Contains 2 footnotes.)