My advice is that if it doesn�t cause too much financial pain, enroll him in the private K this year. That will buy you some time. Our daughter had this same experience and I�ve become very jaded about our public school system as a result.
Our daughter attended a private kindergarten (Pre-K through K school) before her 5th birthday and excelled. Even though the school recommended she be admitted to 1st grade at the public school it feeds into, the principle refused based on age. She attended a second year of K with the public school and was labeled as gifted and a delight to have in class. We were assured that the 1st grade curriculum would challenge her because she was put with the teacher who offers a differentiated curriculum. This often meant that she and a few other students were allowed to read their chapter books while the teacher instructed the rest of the class.
Our public school wasted two years of her early school experience. Although her teachers were nice ladies and probably good teachers for kids at the appropriated level, she learned nothing from them. She consistently stated that lunch and recess were her favorite part of the day!
To make a long story shorter, we switched to a more academically challenging private school where they grade advanced her. We consider it a 1-� grade level skip. Her brother was early entranced to 1st grade at the same time.
The entire public school district gave us grave warnings based on anecdotal experiences such as a slightly younger boy with an IQ of 150 who never really fit in with his peers. It apparently never occurred to them that he was different based on his IQ rather than the fact that he was � year younger! Despite their predictions, we have never regretted the move. In fact, it�s still not enough for our son. (I cringe to think of him a grade lower in the public school though!)
Our school district does not allow any variation from the grade step regimen The party line rhetoric is since our school district has such high standards, it isn�t necessary to grade advance anyone (unless you are the child of the assistant superintendent or live next door to the president of the school board). I BELIEVE THAT MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS AROUND THE COUNTRY USE GIFTED KIDS TO KEEP UP THE STANDARDIZED AVERAGE FOR THE SCHOOL!
My husband and I made appointments with the superintendent and petitioned the school board for one year before we left the public system. Our request was that they adopt a method to access readiness for early entrance and grade acceleration. We weren�t successful but maybe you will be.
Please read the following if you haven�t already:
Genius Denied by the Davidsons and Laura Vanderkan
A Nation Deceived: How Schools Hold Back America�s Brightest Students
Smart Boys by B. Kerr, Ph.D. and S. Cohn, Ph.D. This book addresses the issue of K red-shirting and how harmful it is to gifted boys in particular.
Sorry this is so long, but I am very passionate about this issue in particular!
Best wishes!
