IU is intermediate unit. They handle IEPs and disability stuff within the district. His testing and report was a combo of IU and district staff. The IQ test was done by the district. He turned 5 in February.
Polarbear: I am not really looking to grade skip. I guess I'm concerned that he already has a hard time with circle. Sitting still, close proximity to other kids, listening and participating, all while probably having a hard time staying engaged because the subject matter is pretty boring and slowly presented. I really want him to be in with age mates and learning social skills, but I guess I think they need to make serious modifications. Like they could require him to do part of circle with the other kids to get good practice in and then allow him to do something else with an aide during other circle activities if he so chooses. Otherwise I feel like they are setting him up for failure.
My plan is to either homeschool K and then send him to first or try the K program and see how it goes. I feel like in first grade when all of the kids are reading it will be easier for him to be given differentiated work at his desk. K is still so focused on circle and group learning, very weak areas for my son. (This is all based off of my limited experience in schools working as a TSS for a few years).
On the off change this school year proves to be transformative for my son and he suddenly starts doing great with behavior I might look at a grade skip. I am not a huge fan of the idea of sending kids to school all day to begin with, it makes even less sense when it is academically just a waste of time. I am also completely against homework. I'd love to get him into a private school that emphasizes the arts or a montessori classroom. I am willing to just homeschool until I can't teach at his level anymore (this may not be too far in the future for math, I'm not a math person), but I'd much rather get back to work!
I have had recommendations to stop teaching him, especially in math, as it just makes him more different or will make his school experience more problematic, but my son loves math and just seems to pick it up on his own anyway. For instance, the testing said he could do subtraction with regrouping. That's news to me, I never taught him that. Regrouping with addition is in the next unit in our 2nd grade workbook. Regrouping with subtraction is in the following unit. I can't do mental subtraction with regrouping, so I guess my 5 year old is already surpassing me in something. Kind of scary.
