A standardized test is objective and short enough for students to take in a day. It is also easy to administer and grade, and the small time investment required makes it cost efficient.
Schools can upload the standardized test results to personal digital assistants (PDAs). According to an article on the website Scholastic, using current information on PDAs helped student test scores improve at least 15 percent. The PDAs use a program that takes the test results and then gives teachers programs and methods "designed to prevent reading failure through three essential practices: early literacy screening, data-informed instruction and ongoing progress monitoring." Without standardized test feedback, teachers would not have direction for adjusting their teaching methods and approaches.
The United States Department of Education website notes that the $330 million in grants from the Race to the Top program allowed states to "develop a new generation of more sophisticated assessments." These new types of tests (still in a standardized format) will measure students' critical thinking and other higher-level skills.