Orson, My son is 8 and very similar to yours. He is extremely gifted (a DYS kid) and was diagnosed with autism when he was 2.5. He is in a public school for the gifted that I was ecstatic about initially, but it is not so great now that we are there. He has had an IEP since he was 3 so he gets services for speech, OT, and social skills. His major problems are social and behavioral. Unlike your son, though, my son acts out and will flip a desk, bump into another kid or break pencils when he gets frustrated.
I do not think we will find a school that will be suitable for him. The social/behavioral issues require continual group interaction/therapy, yet his mind requires a lot more academics than the school is willing to give him. I was laughing reading about how your son loves science because my son bemoans the lack of science in school DAILY.
I was hoping that the school would try to meet his academic needs, but they don't. They are satisfied that he is "doing fine" in school. Like your son, he is bored to tears. We are lost as well. I think the school thought my son would have more problems because of his ASD (sort of like the rejection you have been getting from private schools) but he hasn't, so they are happy and don't want to change anything (ie: give him more challenging work). Even though we know more challenging work would HELP him!! It is very frustrating.
We have been very lucky and have been able to find outside enrichment activities despite the autism. I feel bad that you can't find even that for your son!
As usual, when I post on here, I don't think I am much help because I don't have much advice....just empathy. We are in a very similar situation!!! Kate
