In German-speaking countries, the education system is currently characterized by a systematic restructuring of administrative control mechanisms. A central element is the introduction of centralized high school graduation exams. In this volume, empirical findings provide information on the extent to which the grading in upper secondary school and the high school diploma in Hesse and Bremen is conducted based on predetermined criteria with the introduction of the centralized graduation exams, and whether the comparability of the qualifications is actually increased.