Over the last decade, high-stakes test preparation has crept into the inventory of developmentally responsive middle level instructional practices. Amid calls for increased accountability and more rigorous curriculum and academic standards, the middle school movement now finds itself in a spotlight of intense scrutiny. This article examines the current emphasis on educational accountability through standardized testing, investigates its underlying assumptions, and offers practical suggestions for ethical, appropriate high-stakes test preparation that can support meaningful learning and instruction in the middle grades. (Contains 5 figures.)