Parent concerns statement

You get a page in that document too.

Federal law requires the team to consider the concerns of the parent. Most families never find out they can hand over a written statement — and that a written one has to be dealt with, while a spoken one can be forgotten by Thursday.

This builder runs entirely in your browser. What you type is never sent to us and isn't saved anywhere — copy or download the statement before you close the tab.

The basics

Your child's first name

Grade

Meeting date

Your name

Prompt 1

Who is your child, at their best?

Start here. Every team should read one paragraph about your child as a person before they read about deficits.

Prompt 2

What are you noticing at home?

Concrete and dated beats general. Times, examples, exact words.

Prompt 3

What's hardest for your child right now?

One or two things. A statement that lists everything gets skimmed.

Prompt 4

What already helps?

Teams act faster on things that have already worked somewhere.

Prompt 5

What are you hoping for by the end of this year?

In your words — the team will translate it into goals.

Prompt 6

Anything specific you want the team to consider?

Optional. Evaluations, services, or accommodations you'd like discussed on the record.

Your statement

Answer a prompt or two on the left and your statement will assemble itself here. You don't have to fill in everything — a short, honest statement is better than a long, hedged one.

Hand this in by email a few days before the meeting so it's on the record, and ask that it be attached to the IEP. Not sure what to put in it? Read the guidance on your child's diagnosis page first. This is general information, not legal advice.