Georgia Governor Promises Four-Year Focus on Education

By Julie A. Miller

Gov. Zell Miller of Georgia has vowed to make education reform the chief priority of his administration for the next four years. He proposed a big boost in teacher salaries, universal preschool for 4-year-olds, and requiring schools to issue a "warranty" on their graduates.

"A commitment to education runs deep in my soul," Mr. Miller said in his Jan. 12 State of the State address. "And I want to leave a long-term legacy that outlasts all the short-term political gains."

In a speech that was dominated by education issues, the Governor, who is beginning...