Investing in education is viewed as important to ensuring the success of the nation's children. One of the largest dollar investments in education is teacher salaries. In fact, roughly 60 percent of all instructional dollars go to paying teachers. How well are they paid and are their salaries based on what policymakers value in a quality teacher? The Southwest Educational Development Laboratory (SEDL) examined teacher salaries in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Texas to determine whether teacher pay is related to teacher qualifications, school characteristics, and student achievement. This issue of "Insights" presents results from that research and provides guidance for policymakers on paying teachers to support new accountability goals. (Contains 4 figures and 1 table.)