We approached our assigned middle school when dd#1 was a 9y/o 4th grade to ask what they would have to offer in the way of GT programming or accelerated classes. Since we had a lot of test scores to back us up (IQ, ITBS, WJ-III, SRI Lexile, MAPS...), they were surprisingly accommodating. They suggested that we skip her and have her start 6th grade at the middle school that next fall. We spend a few months doing the IAS thing, EXPLORE test, and having her spend two days there shadowing & going to 5th grade visitation day. She wound up starting 6th grade at the middle school shortly before her 10th bd.
For her, it has been a much better fit than elementary and I've not needed to do nearly as much in the way of advocacy, etc. Our youngest is another story (she's still in elementary & moving more toward homeschooling).
The main reasons that I believe middle school has worked better for dd#1, though are:
1) the grade skip
2) they have 300 kids in each grade, so the odds of finding other similarly able kids in her grade went up
3) they group for math and literacy, so she is in an accelerated class for both of these
4) the GT coordinator has been extremely helpful and has gone out of her way to make things work for dd -- finding the right teachers, getting her into extracurricular enrichment classes run through the school, etc.
I think that it will depend on the school. I'd give a call to the school and see what you can find out even if it seems like it is too early. I am glad that we did so when dd was nine.
