Twenty-one local education agency teacher incentive programs from seven north central states--Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin--are described in this report. Methodology involved mail surveys of certified staff (which yielded an overall response rate of 78 percent), telephone interviews with program leaders and participants, and analysis of program documentation. Part 1 describes the conceptual framework and methodological design, and part 2 summarizes the 21 case studies and state policy contexts. Detailed descriptions of the individual programs are provided in part 3, followed by a synthesis of information on planning, development, implementation, and coordination among local, state, and regional agencies in part 4. Part 5 develops a framework for the analysis of incentive plans and organizes findings into personal and organizational factors. A conclusion is that teacher incentive plans are an integral part of the school improvement process. Appendices contain respondent characteristics and the survey questionnaire. (LMI)