PLAY ON: The Tarpon Springs High marching band is invited to play in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. (Times photo, Douglas Clifford)

RESEARCH ELITE: USF joins the top 50 national universities in research expenditures. 

ARM TWISTING: Sen. JD Alexander makes one last pitch to convince Gov. Rick Scott to give USF Poly its independence. • The presidents of UF and FSU urge the governor to give them more flexibility in setting tuition.

FCAT MOTIVATION: Leon County schools try to encourage students to do well on the FCAT with skits, songs, bake sales and more, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. • A Jacksonville high school uses games to prepare for the test, News4Jax.com reports.

FEELING IT: Students at Florida's universities begin to see the effects of another round of budget cuts, the Sun-Sentinel reports.

STALLED: The Village of Wellington holds up plans for a new charter school over traffic concerns, the Palm Beach Post reports.

DIGITAL DISCIPLINE: The Marion school district computerizes its student discipline system to keep better track of trends and problems, the Ocala Star-Banner reports.