To keep him challenged, check out library books at the level he is comfortable with. Ask lots of questions to help him verbalize his comprehension of the books. Also consider checking out lots of nonfiction that might interest him--those books can be challenging in other ways and also help him gain greater understanding of science/social studies.

At school, it's fine to ask the teacher what his instructional level is (and if the books he is bringing home reflect that). Ask what skills your child is working on specifically.

I understand having a kid who reads (and comprehends) well above grade level, but the default on DCUM is for people to assume that the child is only decoding, not fully comprehending the text (or is not meeting some other criteria the teacher might have). My DC could read and understand much more complicated books but not necessarily reflect that understanding in skillful writing, so those were the skills teachers worked on.

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- Thanks for the various responses. We're way on top of it about reading at home. He goes finishes a chapter book (like Magic Tree House) on his own every couple days and we read chapters together every night. And I don't think he's a "snowflake" (in fact, he can be a real PITA sometimes ) but I want him to be challenged in his reading at school. Studies say the majority of kids are all at the same level of reading, even out, by 3rd grade. But is this in part b/c the ones who were advanced in K, haven't been pushed and didn't grow as much as they could?

We do a lot at home but there's also a reason I send him to school. sigh...

I understand your frustration, and felt similarly when DD was in third grade. But, hyperbole does not help your case. Reading a magic Treehouse book over a couple of days is not reading on a third grade level.

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- Thanks for the various responses. We're way on top of it about reading at home. He goes finishes a chapter book (like Magic Tree House) on his own every couple days and we read chapters together every night. And I don't think he's a "snowflake" (in fact, he can be a real PITA sometimes ) but I want him to be challenged in his reading at school. Studies say the majority of kids are all at the same level of reading, even out, by 3rd grade. But is this in part b/c the ones who were advanced in K, haven't been pushed and didn't grow as much as they could?

We do a lot at home but there's also a reason I send him to school. sigh...

No, I think it really is because the brain can be ready to read anytime between 4 and 8 and there is nothing that parents can do to accelerate it. As long as he is really reading for comprehension and you are keeping him in books that interest him, then I think you are fine. You could steer the reading into non-fiction if there is some topic you wanted him to delve deeply into.