The sixth annual report of the State University System (SUS) of Florida to the State Board of Education presents information on Florida's progress toward excellence in education. It follows the Indicators of Excellence Program implemented in 1983. Indicators of Florida's progress for 1986-87 include: pass rates on the College Level Academic Skills Test; licensure examination results of graduates; average full-time faculty salaries; number of National Merit Scholars enrolled as first-time-in-college students; percent of full-time faculty by highest earned degree; state financial aid per student; number of endowed chairs; specialized or programmatic accreditation; research library rank; strengthening undergraduate education; and contract and grant dollars per faculty member. Statistics include the following: Florida's SUS has shown steady progress in the improvement of faculty salaries; the SUS has been in the upper quartile in number of National Merit Scholarship Winners enrolled as first-time-in-college students since the beginning of the indicators program; Florida is in the upper quartile in appropriations per headcount student; Florida ranks ninth among states in the number of full-time scientists and engineers employed at public universities; Florida has not reached the upper quartile of states on research library rank; Florida has two chapters of Phi Beta Kappa; the average number of grant and contract dollars per faculty member increased by $11.21; and the number of blacks entering SUS increased. (SM)