I just decided that his actions already label him anyhow why not be able to have an explanation for it.
Ah, would that the label were really granted to most HG+ kids!
I suspect you'll be amazed by how little the schools will recognize your child for who and what he is. If I had a dime for every time I read on these boards, "The principal/teacher/GT coordinator/etc. told me that my child isn't unusual," I'd have more than enough money to start my OWN GT school!
Schools rarely give above-level material to a class, so they rarely see a kid who can do more then the norm. What they see instead is often a frustrated, bored, lazy troublemaker who doesn't do the work (because, the child thinks, why waste my time on something so easy?), or doesn't do it well, or does it but stares off into space instead of participating, or any number of other behaviors that don't fit the stereotype of the bright kid/teacher's pet that so many educators seem to buy into. The issue for the school, then, becomes all about the behavior, with the GTness completely denied/ignored.
It's sad.
As for testing, I agree with the advice you've gotten here. The SB5 is probably your best bet given his age, though be warned that it's harder on verbal kids than it is on visual-spatial and/or mathy kids, or so rumor has it.
Try it, but if his scores on the SB5 aren't fitting with what you see in your child--as they didn't with our now-in-DYS child--then consider giving him the WISC when he's old enough. Some very bright kids just really don't click with the SB5, for some reason. They test as GT, but not level 4/5 GT, as they seem to be. I felt like DS7's WISC scores made a lot more sense to me in context. No test is a perfect instrument for all kids.
My advice: if you can get the GT label without too much trouble, TAKE IT! All too often, schools are very happy to treat all kids as exactly the same, with no distinction in the ways different kids with different needs are taught. But a level 4/5 kid has different needs that MUST be addressed. (And sometimes, woe unto those who do not meet them!) If a label gets those needs met, then take the label with a smile!
My usual take: If it comes down to my being "THAT mom" or my son becoming "THAT kid," then I'll always choose to be "THAT mom." I can take it. My son shouldn't have to.
And sometimes, it comes down to just that, sadly.
