Today's news

ACCOUNTABILITY'S NEXT STEP: Key Florida education policy makers are headed to New York to check out whether that state's end-of-course Regents exams might serve as a model for boosting the Sunshine State standard to the next level.

BUDGET CUTS APPROVED: Per-student funding would shrink by $100 each as part of the deal approved Friday. Universities also would get to raise tuition up to 5 percent in January. Some leaders call the changes "adjustments to increases" rather than cuts, noting the total amount being spent is still higher than last year.

PILOT PROBLEMS: The school busing test plan that Hillsborough officials put into place for the Brandon area was supposed to solve many inefficiencies in the system. It's not working.

WELCOME: The last time they came to a Pinellas high school, Veterans for Peace were kicked out. This time, they got to set up in the cafeteria of Dixie Hollins High and tell students about non-military options after graduation.

COPING WITH GROWTH: Universities in Florida and across the Sun Belt face exploding enrollment, and they're trying to keep up even as financing sometimes falls short, the NY Times reports.

CASH CRUNCH: Florida is just one of several states faced with scaling back education spending as revenue falls short, Education Week reports. Illinois and Michigan are in the same boat, too.

HE'LL SIGN: Gov. Charlie Crist indicates he's ready to accept higher university tuition, an about-face from his veto earlier this year, the Lakeland Ledger reports.

Visit the Gradebook at noon today for an interview with Sheila Weiss, campaign manager for Be There, an effort to get parents to connect with their children.