Ala. Gov. Wants To Hike Teacher Pay, Overhaul Tenure

Education topped Alabama Gov. Donald Siegelman's agenda last week as he unveiled plans to raise teacher salaries and streamline the process for dismissing poorly performing teachers and principals during his second State of the State Address.

"Tonight I have a message for the families of Alabama: I remain committed to changing education in Alabama forever," Mr. Siegelman, a Democrat, declared at the opening of his Feb. 1 speech to lawmakers.

The speech came several months after a major setback for the governor: voters' rejection of an education lottery plan in a statewide referendum in October—a proposal in which the governor had...