This paper is a report on a study of public-school teachers' salaries in Iowa. The general purpose of the study was to better understand how recent teacher-compensation legislation would affect the Iowa education system. Specific goals were to examine the current Iowa public-school salary schedules and salaries across time (1984-2002); to compare Iowa teachers' average salaries to salaries of teachers in other states; to estimate the major independent factors that affect Iowa teacher salaries; and to investigate the role that salary plays in teacher retention. Data for the study were gathered from teachers' unions and state records. Multiple regression analyses were used on the data, and descriptive analyses were conducted for the significant variables. The results show the following. Iowa public-school teachers' salaries have increased over the years. Teachers' average salaries in Iowa are lower than national average salaries. The legislation improved teachers' salaries but did not change the independent factors that affect the salaries. (Those factors are teacher education, years of teaching experience, and district enrollment.) Salary, education, and experience influence teacher retention. The study concludes that higher teacher salaries do attract high-quality teachers and do affect teacher retention. (Contains 12 tables and 7 references.) (WFA)