Abstract
High-stakes testing is not a new phenomenon in education. It has become part of the education system in many countries. These tests affect the school systems, teachers, students, politicians and parents, whether that is in a positive or negative sense. High-stakes testing is associated with concepts such as a school's accountability, funding and parental choice of school. The study aims to explain high-stakes testing, how it is created and developed in selected countries and look at the negative impacts of tests on various actors within this relationship.