This report presents the case-study findings from a cross-state investigation focused on Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee, intended to deepen understanding around the influence of high stakes accountability on teacher learning and the capacity of districts and schools to support instructional practices that bolster student performance. Researchers sought to answer questions related to: (1) the impact of different accountability and professional development policies in the six states; (2) how teachers respond to those learning opportunities in light of high stakes accountability; and (3) the relationship between high stakes accountability, teachers' professional development, and student achievement. Site visits revealed that the high stakes accountability systems influenced teacher learning in a number of ways, helping teachers focus on academic standards, clarifying for them what needs to be taught and how, although seeking to understand under what conditions accountability systems would most likely promote effective professional development. None of the systems in which the 24 observed schools operated could produce a comprehensive set of indicators based on such an assumption. Findings suggest that to do so would require new ways to measure and report on school leadership, professional development opportunities, and teacher working conditions. The following is appended: Sample NAEP Grade Items--Math and Reading. (Contains 3 footnotes and 4 tables.)