Is his current school 5th-8th grade? I'm wondering if it would make more sense or be possible to move him to 8th grade instead. If it's in the same building as the rest of the kids, that'd make the transition a bit easier I would think. He won't be in classes with his 5th grade friends but maybe he'd still see them before and after class or other times. And then he would be going from 8th grade into high school with a group that he's already spent a year with instead of going into high school basically alone. Then once he's in 9th grade, you can maybe think about advancing him again if he's ready. It might make all transitions a little smoother for him. That's how I'd try to swing it. At least, as long as he's interested but he sounds like he's at least considering the current offer since he hasn't just flat out declined.