When you removed your DS from the trasitional K program, were the reasons academic or social or both? That might be a huge clue as to where he would belong. Sticking him in K next year would just place him back with the same kids. I can't imagine that would be appropriate.
It also matters if your local kindergarden is half day or whole day program.
Lots of 'quite out there'ly gifted kids can do fine for a few hours a day in a half day program, even if the academic fit is poor. As NMMom points out, past performance is your best guide to his future needs - if he already was frustrated in a half day transitional program, and the kids would be the same, is one more year of maturity really going to allow him to do nonsensical tasks for hours day after day?
Remember the book 'Outliers?' People have felt for a long time that holding boys back would be an advantage in sports and social development - although I heard something about a recent report that it's not actually helpful, and is sometimes harmful for normal kids. (Anyone have a link?)
But the book 'Outliers' had a whole chapter about how older boys did better in learning to play ice hockey if they were from the 'older' months of the year. What most people missed was the idea that 'ice time' is very expensive and the limiting factor in developing good ice hockey skills. I agree that 'ice time' is key, but I question if red-shirting gifted kids is the way to get them the most possible academic 'ice time.' I rather think that subject accelerations and grade skips, when needed, are the best way to maximise the amount of time a child is exposed to the opportunity to learn. So many peole too the take home message of 'Outliers' to be: Holding the child back is best.
I read it as: Analyse the situation. Figure out what setting will provide the most opportunity for a child to learn. Get your child there. I don't see how placing a child in an academic setting designed for children 2-4 years developmentally behind where they happen to be gives opportunity to engage with learning.
My son, now 15, always by far the youngest boy in the classroom in elementary school due his summer birthday and the local practice of holding boys back, can tell you that it's no fun to wait and wait and wait with your hand raised for the teach to call you, and that even if it seems to others like you are 'always being called on' - to the child it seems like 'never.'
Love and More Love,
Grinity
