For a variety of reasons, not all of which have been identified, minority and less-advantaged students do not score as well on intelligence tests as privileged students. This has led to several different consequences, including a lack of these students in gifted or advanced programs in schools.
IQ tests may not test how the brain works, operating on outdated understandings of what intelligence is. Critics, such as Plucker and Gardner, contest that different views of intelligence should also be included in the testing process, such as the idea that students may be "intelligent" in up to eight different areas, all of which should be tested, rather than in the exclusively logical and analytic form of a traditional intelligence test.
Intelligence tests are used sporadically and by different institutions around the country, leading to different definitions of "intelligence" and terms like "gifted." Some schools may rely heavily on these tests, while others may take a more holistic view of students, resulting in a varied and inconsistent definition of these terms.
Certain tests, including the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children and the Stanford-Binet test, have been shown to accurately predict children's school performance (though it is important to note that not all such tests do so). This can help administrators place children into different groups so that they can productively work with their peers on material that is challenging for them.
Deciding whom to place in a gifted program can be a difficult decision for administrators and teachers. Intelligence tests provide some measure of objectivity when making these decisions. This more objective view can make it easier to make the case for federal, local, or private funding for such programs, proving that the need exists in a certain school district.