I am also in a wealthy CA school district who's schools are supposedly one of the best in the area. I understand where you are coming from. My DS15 is a freshman in H.S. and has just gone through junior high. Junior High is CA is mostly a waste of time. In my CA district this seems to be a common complaint from parents. The elementary schools are know to be good and the H.S. is top ranked with top numbers of students taking AP and getting national merit. But the kids just float through junior high. It seems like "someone" had decided that 12/13 year old students need to be kept in a holding pattern because of their emotions. The academics are weak and the only real acceleration offered is in math, Algebra in 7th or 8th.
I found this particularly bad for science. The science was been there done that all year long for both years. And last year due to common core was even more text/language based. In humanities we have a "honors" class that at least grouped all the gifted kids together.
I know of no one who managed independent study in Middle School, but I do know of a few who decided to home school during those grade. The problem with doing that in my district it is THE ONLY way to be in the top math track in H.S., is to already be in the district top math track in junior high. It's one of these if we make an exception for one kid, we will have to make it for everyone arguments. And OUR honors math is much more difficult than any other class. Unless you can show that you just moved into the area, and have coursework from another brick and mortar AND take a test you will not get into their honors maths classes.
