Independent of individual honors' programs, California's Gifted And Talented Education (GATE) program in the 80's and 90's, AFAICT, consisted solely of IQ tests, i.e., timed triangle arrangement tests. I didn't see any point to it other than spending taxpayer money and/or for the education department to tick a box that they had a GAT program.

Not to sound like a conspiracy theorist wingnut, but a country should inventory its smartest students. I believe GAT programs are how it is done in the US. If this were the case, it seems plausible these students are tracked and recruited by intelligence (no pun intended) agencies and strategic opportunities later on if they meet certain criteria. Hypothetically, GAT data would feed such a human assets program.