Trinity,

I feel truly fortunate to have found this community.

To answer your questions:
1. I find myself facing old teaching assumptions (and myths told to be as a student) regarding grade skip. The Nation Deceived document and other research has been read and reread in my house and my husband and I are having our own revelations. With that said, I am torn. I am sure that my child needs a multigrade skip for reading. Because of her broad reading and interests, social studies and science would be beneficial, too. As far as math is concerned, I am not sure. I know that she could probably handle 1st grade math, but have not seen her explore this area much yet. We have taken the philosophy of feeding the machine. She basically leads the way into interest areas and we provide materials and exposure (insects, sign language, human body, animals, fairy tales, space, etc.). We are pursuing subject acceleration at this stage.

2. We have considered the option of homeschooling, but it is not feasible for us right now (two other little ones at home and my husband and I work albeit flexible schedules).
We had actually hoped that K would remain half day so DD would have her afternoon with us to pursue her own interests, but the school system went to full day K this year. I also hate to see school interfere with a child's education. LOL.

3. I was gifted. I was often sent up a level for part of the day, initially for reading, but then for math, too. I asked my mother about this recently. She never had a conversation with the school. All acceleration was teacher-initiated. My mother would have been too timid to ask. (In fact, I just found out that she never knew that I spent my eighth grade math class in the library studying algebra. Actually, reading Mon thru Thurs and on Fri I would do 5 assignments to turn in. LOL.)

4. Sadly most teachers and administrators can not even identify Level 3s from 5s from bright, hard working students. Differentiation and even acceleration has to take place with someone in the system that at least partially gets it (not easy, but they are there). Believe me, I have fought my battles. At one point, I had a 6th grade class, upper elementary so no possibility to grade skip subjects within the building. Some children needed basic math, some were grade level, but two were ready for algebra. The principal suggested just teach grade level and call it a day. After all, why make more work for oneself. Instead I worked with a couple of neighboring teachers, identified a few kids in their classes and taught the whole lot of them in groups, in addition to an extra algebra session once a week after school. This program sent kids on to above level math at the middle school every year. Amazingly, teachers weren't excited to have the system tampered with, but what a feat for these children (low socio-econ w/ few opportunities). And I was the GT admin's new best friend.
Bottom line - in class differentiation to most teachers means handing the child extra worksheets when they finish what everyone else is doing!

5. I left teaching seven years ago. I desperated needed a change and was planning to start a family. I am working in a completely unrelated field. As far as my degree, I loved teaching but the rest of it was draining. I enjoy focusing on my own "students" at home (3, at last count).

6. I have heard of the homeschool co-ops in passing, but know little about them. Are the NFP schools you mention similar to a type of charter school? (A former dream). I think there is a real need for the place you describe and have had people mention this to me, but again, I am just leaving my gifted denial state...

7. Great thoughts here. I will definitely have to work on a plan.

Seems I am a bit long winded in my response. Thanks for bearing with me.