State tests aren't generally used for anything other than statistics and funding. The fact that some departments allot more money to schools with better test scores is kind of silly, considering that the schools with worse test scores need it way more.
some will say that standardized testing helps bring everyone onto an equal playing field while others may argue it interrupts true learning for some fake-ass memorization mantras
I disagree with the idea that standardized testing 'levels the playing field'. The SAT can really screw over ESL students aspiring to go to college in the US because they'll lose plenty of points in critical reading and writing, even if they're fluent in English and good in mathematics and all other school subjects. In order to accommodate that, many colleges accept the TOEFL, but even a good TOEFL score isn't enough to account for a lower SAT score (in the eyes of admissions officers).
However, I also disagree with the people who claim that the SAT is rout memorization. The only part of the SAT that can truly be considered memorization-based is the vocab portion of CR (which makes up a rather small part of that section anyway). The rest of it is a measurement of how much you've learned, and while a lot of the test relies on 'trick questions', it's not based on your ability to regurgitate facts.
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