This paper describes the four major changes that have taken place in the Israeli Matriculation Examinations since the early 1950's. Before the changes, students at the end of the 10th grade took three mandatory examinations, and students at the end of the 12th grade took four mandatory examinations and two examinations that depended on the course of study. The first change, toward the end of the 1950's, involved the following: examinations at the end of grade 10 were cancelled, additional courses of study were allowed, every student could substitute one examination with an annual composition, and six external mandatory examinations were taken. The second change, in 1965, involved the following: five external examinations were taken, two school-assessed mandatory examinations were added, and a school-leaving certificate would be granted to those who failed some or all of the examinations. The third change, in 1978, involved the following: subjects were divided into study units, students could choose the level of their studies and examination in each subject, students could take the examinations 1 or 2 years prior to graduation, and in order to earn the matriculation certificate, students had to study and be tested on at least 20 study units. The fourth change included restrictions to the third change and involved the following: examinations on 15 study units were mandatory in five prescribed subjects. Background factors for these changes are outlined from the following perspectives: social-political circumstances, school autonomy, parents, teachers' attitudes, the Ministry of Education, the universities, and psychometricians. (RLC)