The current standards and accountability regime describes effective teaching as the ability to increase student achievement on standardized tests. This narrow definition of effectiveness can lead principals to create school cultures myopically focused on student achievement data. A "laser-like focus on academic achievement," if employed too literally, can stymie the necessary professional judgment and creativity of teachers and blind school leaders to the potential of collaboration and accountability to serve as the most significant supports to teacher effectiveness. Last year the author explored two of California's highest performing, high poverty schools and observed how principals support teacher effectiveness in these environments. In this article he introduces the two schools, then shares teacher descriptions of how they embrace collaboration and accountability cultures--created with their principals--as critical supports to their effectiveness.