I might look into skipping into 2nd grade general ed next year, and then moving into either 2nd grade gifted or 3rd grade gifted after that.
This is actually a pretty good idea and one I hadn't considered, for some reason. Or, he could at least do part-time in 2nd grade gen ed.
I'm updating here because emails to the "next level up" (a couneslor/academic advisor type of person) about moving DS to the 1st grade class for some of the day received zero response. Disappointing. I emailed DS's teacher and she let me know that she has worked things out with a receptive first-grade teacher and that as far as they are concerned, DS is good to go. They just need permission from the higher ups, so she is now meeting with the principal. We'll see.
For now, we have skipping on the back burner with the idea that we will reconsider it at year's end. DS is complaining a little about group instruction but gets a lot of individualized work.
