Welcom az1, always nice to meet a long-time-lurker!
Exactly how high were those MAP tests?
I would insist that he be placed (subject or full skip) in the class where he could be expected to learn new material in the subjects that were on the MAP test. He doesn't have to be moved until he's 'Average' in that class - just so that a B is assured, but he would have to do 'some' work to keep his As.
Don't put any eggs in the pull-out basket!That isn't the LOG (level of gifted) kid you have. Once he's grade skipped to his readiness level, then that grades pull out will be nice 'icing on the cake.'
Order the "Iowa Acceleration Scale Manual" - it's an interesting read - but in a school with MAP testing and a gifted program already in place you can have him placed at his readiness level NOW. They already have enough information.
We also didn't have the kind of stabilty with subject accelerations that we got from a full grade skip.
As for social needs - it's a dice roll, so in our family ignore what we can't control. Certianly the younger the children are one would hope the easier it would be to make new friends. If your 2nd grader is that excited by the prospect, then he clearly isn't worried about the social end. And there are always afterschool activities that he can do with agemates - they are a lot of fun! (they, the activities and the agemates)
Seriously, that MAP is an amazing test - call up the testmakers and have them send you a report on your children scores, so you can compare one to another (secretely - it's one way to get an idea of LOG) - talk to them - they are very helpful. You school has ZERO leg to stand on if it wants to say your kid isn't ready for more challenge. See if they will show you a graph of how the 2nd grade kids and the 3rd grade kids and the 4th grade kids are doing - no names, just data points, so you can see overall where your kids fits....
Smiles, so glad you spoke up, you are home, you can get some rest now, ok?
Grinity
