[Ramrod]

One point hasn't been mentioned (Unless I missed it).
Setting aside all the social arguments that have been raised, it would make sense for the state to pay more for very bright kids to receive better education as that would hopefully allow the country to do well internationally in business/technology/innovations etc....we would get a lot more back from investing in the gifted minds than we probably do from pouring money into the whole special needs area which probably just gets us slightly better educated dole claimants or McDonald's staff.(generalising, I know, but you get the idea)