These standardized test cost millions of dollars -- there are the test writers (often people who didn't like teaching, so now they design tests), the software engineers (who earn double the salary of most teachers), the graders (who are paid pennies to pour over free-response questions) and a lot of others who administer the production, market, train and make presentations on these tests.
I wonder how much could be saved if we did away with these bloated tests  OR  how much class sizes could  be reduced if this money went to hire more teachers?  
Tests that have been used for years are available with fewer hours required for their administration and are of better quality.  We're re-invented the wheel and put it on every student, everywhere, all the time.