With the aim of increasing the comparability of grades and thus the qualifications, as well as stimulating a discussion about common standards in schools, joint examinations have been introduced in some Swiss high schools. These are conducted collaboratively by several teachers across classes and schools. The study presented here investigates for the first time which procedures for joint examinations were implemented in the examined high schools in Switzerland and what changes educators and students report in the schools. It identifies areas of tension in the implementation and execution of joint examinations and demonstrates how joint examinations can be utilized for school and instructional development.