Generally, if you want better scores you need more resources, and that might include more teachers. If you want to have more selection on who you hire (or as we're getting to right now...simply filling all your positions) higher pay for teachers is helpful.
Do explain how a student taking a test that has no requirement that they score at any level do graduate helps anything, other than the profit margin of Outside publishers?
Some students simply signed the test and waited to leave (and the state picked up the bill) and that's all they had to do for a diploma.
This is a mistake that has corrected itself.