The impacts of the Grade 12 Provincial Examination Program on the educational system in British Columbia and its participants were studied. Beginning with the 1983-84 school year, students in British Columbia have been required to take an end-of-course provincial examination in each academic course they take. The study began with a review of pertinent literature to establish the history and purposes of the examinations. Instruments developed through interviews and separate survey questionnaires were used to survey and obtain responses from the following groups: (1) 1,833 12th-grade students; (2) 608 parents of 12th-grade students; (3) 947 teachers of 12th-grade students; (4) 137 school counselors; (5) 160 high school principals; and (6) 35 district superintendents. There was no clear indication of the effects of the Provincial Examination on individuals' standards for student achievement. Students recognized increased stress as a major problem with the program, but they acknowledged that the program led them to work harder and study more than they had before they participated in the program. Teachers, principals, counselors, and superintendents indicated that the program has had a major effect on teaching practice in that the examination has become a focus of instructional content. Recommendations based on the study findings are summarized for the continuation and enhancement of the examination program. Twenty-nine tables present study recommendations. Eleven appendices comprising about half of the document provide a preliminary description of examination impacts and a summary of in-school interviews conducted in June of 1989, and present the student, parent, teacher, principal, counselor, and superintendent questionnaires. (SLD)