AlexFamTx -
First Thought - Can the principal give the 'end of semester assessments' NOW and compact the remaining curriculum, then move him up to 5th with pretests for further compacting. That sounds very dreary. Or give the end of semester assessments NOW, and graduate 4th grade early and do trips and special enrichment for the last 2 months of school? How many hours a day is all this taking?
Anyway - if you haven't heard the phrase 'compacting the curriculum' thats the one to google.
Second Thought: did you click with the tester? If so, I think now is a good time to request a little sit down and bring these questions up with the tester. If not, perhaps request a copy of all the information and try to dig up a different psychologist that you click with better to review the numbers and the current situation.
I'm suggesting this because asnychonous development really stinks! Even in a homeschooling setting, it is difficult to deal with. You want to make extra sure that you aren't percieved as treating K12 education as a race - that you are being crystal clear that your goal is for your child to be engaged at his readiness level so he can learn how to learn.
3rd thought: That - exactly is your DH's attachment to VPS? Would he be willing for you to do both EPGY classes AND High school science AND VPS - if so, you can let him to VPS at a snails pace (maybe during car rides?) and fill up your homeschooling day with these other activities? Is it a cash limit? Is it that he doesn't trust your assesment of DS's readiness level? I've had a lot of luck with my DH when we don't agree is to agree to hire a 3rd party expert to assess DS and'further educate' us both. Expensive, but maybe worth it.
A Mentor might be a good option, or if there are Community College or University where you and he can audit a class, perhaps that will be a way to feed his interests, while letting his writing skill catch up with him.
If you are just plain sick of people (DH?) just not getting how advanced he is, let him take a SAT or ACT. When he is getting 500s on Math and CR you won't have to pursuade anyone of how advanced he is, you can just show them the test scores and then let them tell you how unusual that is. Walk softly and carry a big stick, yes?
What frustrates me about asnychrony, with my own DS13 - right this minute - is that no matter what grade I would put him in, he doesn't really fit an any box, so there are always body parts sticking out! At 13 he could be 7th grader or an 8th grader in our state. He is in 9th grade, taking all honors classes. Guess what? - he is both bored (intellectually) and mystified at what the teachers could possibly want (immature.) He just doesn't fit any of those grade level. Imagine the Stamina and Maturity of a 7th grader trying to do the busy work of a 9th grader, for grades that count on a college transcript, while learning material presented in a fairly shallow way. Not pretty. He is pretty much back to the 'close your eyes and think of England' approach to schoolwork that I observed in him during 4nd grade. Except that back then he couldn't bear to do it for 90 seconds, and now he can go for 3 hours if needed.
I'm researching several possible answers, and it may be that the universe provides and tomorrow he falls in love with an extracurricular activity and finds a mentor and it is 'all better now' enough. I just wanted to share that it's a tough road.
Love and More Love,
Grinity
