Pupil assessment procedures and methods in Greece are set and "standardized" externally by the central authorities as defined in the legislative framework, the National Curriculum guidelines and teachers' manuals, while implementation is internal to the schools. The focus of primary schools is on formative assessment, while the lower secondary school level takes increasing account of summative assessment. At the level of primary education, the procedures for implementing student assessment are specified in Presidential Decrees 8 and 121 (1995), which cover issues such as grading, communication with parents, progression criteria, the nature of descriptive assessment etc. In addition, the National Cross-Thematic Curriculum Framework, in force since 2003, defines specific learning goals and includes guidelines for student assessment in primary education, both overall and according to subject area. Concerning lower secondary education, the National Cross-Thematic Curriculum Framework and the Curricula for each subject and level define guidelines for student assessment describing generally the types, criteria and methods to be used. This paper discusses the objectives, organization, and use of results of the national testing of pupils in Greece. This paper contains the following parts: (1) General Overview of Pupil Assessment; (2) Historical Background to National Testing and its Political Framework; (3) Aims and Organizations of National Testing; and (4) Impact of National Testing.