Teacher performance pay programs have proliferated across the country over the past 20 years. To aid in understanding their many variations, the seven major components of these programs are described. Three examples of teacher performance pay programs are provided for illustration: Denver ProComp, TAP, and Houston ASPIRE. Evidence is mixed on the impact of performance pay programs in general. We suggest that flawed communication strategy and action accompanying the programs have likely contributed to weak, if any, impact. We suggest the use of a three-pronged concerted communication approach: communication strategy, communication action plan, and communication supports. We provide specific examples for each prong.