When DS was in first grade, his teacher mentioned in a staff meeting that she had a couple of students whose differentiation needs she could not meet in class. A 4th grade teacher, who at one time had been the gifted pullout teacher and was a few years from retirement, volunteered her prep period 3-4 times a week, and took these kids through the 4th grade math curriculum, supporting where needed (with both math and the reading), touching on pre-algebra.
Midway through 2nd grade, all the classes regrouped for math by readiness, which was helpful but not quite enough. At our request, the teacher sent home more advanced homework. 3rd grade started the replacement classes for math and LA. Happily, that teacher can choose her own textbooks. Like amylou's twins, DS is laid back, school-happy if sometimes frustrated by slow pace, and took alg II/trig in 8th grade. Now a HS freshman, he is happy to be in classes that don't depend on your standardized scores or age, but on what you can do.
