Hi all -
I've posted here a few times before. Amazingly, our current school has finally picked up on what we've been trying to communicate to them about our son for some time.
After working with him, the city wide g/t coordinator has recommended a whole grade acceleration and would allow our son to work with the 4th/5th grade gifted pull-out program (once a week for 30 minutes).
We are in a semi-urban school district in Connecticut that won't cluster high ability kids and embraces the idea that heterogeneous classrooms boost lowest scoring students performance and test scores (at the expense of isolating rapid learners). They also limit guided reading groups at 1 year past current year DRA score cap. Our new math curriculum goes more in depth and covers less each year -- i.e., 2nd grade will now spend 6 weeks on money. They could try to move our son into other grades for reading and math, but the scheduling problems are major and our son feels "weird" leaving for these subjects.
We are really on the fence -- should we go ahead with the grade skip? We have no doubt that our son will still be one of the high flyers in the next grade. His winter MAP scores for first grade were 215 Math 219 Reading. He's been reading Harry Potter easily since summer between K & 1st, when we allowed him to read the book. His math comprehension is amazing -- he understands very advanced concepts with much instruction. If he needs instruction or explanation, it's only once. He might fit in better socially with the next grade -- even though he has a July birthday, he is mature and tall for his age.
Unfortunately, I suspect he will be bored out of his mind even with the skip. Is it even worth it? Maybe we'd be better off moving or homeschooling? Does anyone know of any school districts in Connecticut that can handle kids who learn so much so quickly? My impression of other "better" districts is that while they have more children who are above average, they aren't necessary able to accommodate kids like my son. We have three other bright children and need to make a decision that includes them as well. We'd prefer a district that has the most options (languages, extra-curricular activities, different classes) to one with super high test scores.
My husband really feels homeschooling is the way to go -- our kids grow enormously over the summer when they are left to read and learn about and do what interests them most.
Any advice would be appreciated -- thank you in advance!
