This paper empirically addresses the question of whether and how the basic levels of environment, organization and instruction in schools are affected by standardized tests in neoinstitutionalist terms of coupling and decoupling the levels of environment, organisation and instruction (Meyer/Rowan 2006; Coburn 2004). The exploration starts with the assumption made by systems theory (Luhmann 2000) that additional information basically doesn’t create more certainty but more uncertainty with respect to decision making in organisations. Standard tests thus force organisations to the task of uncertainty absorption (March 1958) which either can be accomplished by strengthening or can be avoided by loosening couplings. On the basis of two qualitative case study projects (n = 8 headmasters and 60 subject teachers) completed during the years 2007-2009 and 2009-2011 the paper empirically shows that and analyzes how both options actually are being realized under low stakes circumstances in Germany. At the background of these circumstances it will be particularly analyzed in what way these ways of coupling or decoupling appear to be rather reasonable or unreasonable.