[vmception]

My public US high school had 3 levels for this

Normal

Talented and Gifted

and Honors

TAG were people that planned on doing good in school, generally focused better. Significant overlap with Honors.

Honors seemed to sacrifice a life for prestige (tons of Advanced Placement classes) and it didn't seem to really make a practical difference, unless going to college at all is a practical difference to you, everyone went to state schools, maybe one went to Ivy League.

The main distinction was that it was a bad school district, non-designated students had almost no expectations, which is why there was a separation at all. The "good schools" in the bad district had Tag and Honors programs.

I think it created some solidarity, where philisters would have ostracized the people making an attempt at coursework.

The general concept can work in better school districts though.