Exactly How to Write a Powerful Parent Concerns Statement for Your Child’s IEP step by step.

A step-by-step guide to writing a clear, strategic PCS — and finally feeling confident and prepared in your next IEP meeting.

If you’ve ever walked out of an IEP meeting thinking:

• “I didn’t say everything I meant to say,”

• “We ran out of time before we got to my concerns,” or

• “I said it out loud, but somehow it never made it into the paperwork…”

…then the Parent Concerns Statement (PCS) is about to change everything for you.

A PCS is a written, dated, and formally submitted document outlining your most important concerns about your child’s education, behavior, safety, and progress. When you send it in ahead of time and request that it be added to the IEP, the team must address it. It becomes part of the legal document — not something “we’ll get to if there’s time.”

Here’s exactly how to write one that is clear, organized, and effective.

⭐ 1. Understand Why the Parent Concerns Statement Matters

IDEA requires every IEP to include:

“The concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child.”(20 U.S.C. § 1414(d)(1)(A)(i)(II))

This means:

• Your concerns are mandatory content — not optional

• The school must address them

• The team cannot skip or rush past them

• They must be documented in the actual IEP

Submitting your PCS in writing protects your voice and ensures nothing gets pushed to the end of the meeting or forgotten completely.

Educational Disclaimer: All legal references are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice.

⭐ 2. Before You Write: Gather Your “Evidence Pile”

Before writing your PCS, pull together supporting information, such as:

• Report cards

• Progress monitoring

• Behavior logs

• Work samples

• Missing assignments

• Emails from teachers

• Evaluation reports

• Notes from home (meltdowns, homework struggles, refusals, anxiety)

You don’t need to cite every detail — this just helps you write with clarity and accuracy.

⭐ 3. Do a Brain Dump: Your “Grocery List of Concerns”

Write down every struggle you’ve noticed recently:

• Regression or stagnation in reading

• Difficulty writing

• Homework taking hours

• Meltdowns or shutdowns

• ISS/suspensions

• Social challenges

• Safety issues

• Executive functioning struggles

• Missing or inconsistent services

• Anxiety before school

• Teacher communication issues

This raw list becomes the foundation of your PCS.

⭐ 4. Sort Your Concerns Into Buckets (This Becomes Your IEP Meeting Checklist)

This step is your secret weapon.

Sorting your concerns into simple “buckets” not only organizes your PCS — it becomes your meeting roadmap and your checklist. Each bucket ties to a specific section of the IEP, so you’ll know exactly when to bring something up and how to stay on track, even if the team jumps around the document.

Here are the recommended buckets:

Bucket A: Academic Concerns

Connects to: PLAAFP → Goals → Services → Accommodations

Concerns about:

• reading, writing, math

• low progress

• incomplete classwork

• homework difficulty

• falling behind grade level

Checklist question:✔ Did we address each academic concern and tie it to goals/services?

Bucket B: Behavior & Emotional Regulation

Connects to: Behavior Section → PLAAFP → FBA → BIP → Services

Concerns about:

• meltdowns/shutdowns

• avoidance or refusal

• ISS/suspensions

• anxiety

• behaviors interfering with learning

Checklist question:✔ Did we discuss triggers, data, supports, and decide whether an FBA/BIP is needed?

Bucket C: Social Skills & Peer Interaction

Connects to: PLAAFP → Social Goals → Services

Concerns about:

• isolation

• bullying

• misreading cues

• difficulty in group activities

Checklist question:✔ Did we cover social functioning and add supports if needed?

Bucket D: Functional & Independence Skills

Connects to: PLAAFP → OT → Assistive Tech → Accommodations

Concerns about:

• organization

• transitions

• toileting or feeding

• fine motor skills

• routines

• executive functioning

Checklist question:✔ Did we address functional needs and link them to OT or supports?

Bucket E: Services, Supports & Accommodations

Connects to: Services Page → Accommodations Page → Supplementary Aids

Concerns about:

• missing services

• unclear delivery

• too few minutes

• ineffective accommodations

• need for more specialized instruction

Checklist question:✔ Did we review each service and accommodation in detail?

Bucket F: Communication & Collaboration

Connects to: Notes → Parent Communication Plan

Concerns about:

• inconsistent updates

• unclear communication

• late notification of incidents

• need for predictable communication

Checklist question:✔ Did we establish a communication plan?

Why this works:

Your concerns become a structured checklist that keeps YOU in control.

When the team starts skipping ahead, you can calmly say:

“Before we move forward, I need to check my list to make sure all parent concerns are covered.”

This keeps the meeting parent-centered and prevents omissions.

⭐ 5. Start With a Strong Opening Paragraph

Choose one of these openers:

“I am writing to share my parent concerns regarding [Child’s Name] and request that this statement be included in the Parent Concerns section of the IEP.”

“As we prepare for [Child’s Name]’s upcoming IEP meeting, I want to clearly outline my concerns so the team can review them in advance and address them during the meeting.”

“My goal in providing this Parent Concerns Statement is to collaborate with the team to ensure [Child’s Name] receives the support needed for meaningful progress.”

⭐ 6. Write Each Concern as a Mini-Paragraph

Each concern should include:

1. The concern

2. A real example

3. How it impacts learning or behavior

4. What support may be needed (optional)

Examples:

Academic:

“I am concerned about [Child’s Name]’s reading progress. They continue to struggle with decoding and fluency, which makes grade-level texts overwhelming. This impacts confidence and participation. I would like to discuss more targeted reading intervention.”

Behavior:

“I am concerned about emotional regulation. [Child’s Name] frequently experiences meltdowns during transitions. This results in lost instructional time. I would like the team to consider an FBA and updated BIP.”

Social:

“I am concerned about peer interactions. [Child’s Name] often plays alone and reports being teased. This affects confidence and school enjoyment. I would like to explore social skills instruction.”

⭐ 7. Close With a Clear Request

Choose one:

“Thank you for including this statement in the IEP. I request that each concern be discussed and documented with the team’s decisions.”

“Please document how each concern will be addressed through goals, services, or accommodations.”

“If a concern is not addressed, I request written documentation explaining the team’s decision.”

Include your name, signature, and date.

⭐ 8. When & How to Send Your PCS (IMPORTANT UPDATE)

When to send:A day or two before the meeting.

How to send:Email your PCS to the case manager and all relevant team members.

And THIS is the key instruction to add:

“Please paste or install this entire Parent Concerns Statement directly into the Parent Concerns section of the IEP, not printed separately or attached at the bottom.”

Parents must say this clearly, because some schools try to:

• print PCS statements

• attach them at the end

• insert only partial lines

• or ignore formatting

Your PCS belongs inside the actual Parent Concerns box — that is where IDEA expects it to live.

Email script example:

“Attached is my Parent Concerns Statement for [Child’s Name]’s upcoming IEP meeting. Please paste or install this statement directly into the Parent Concerns section of the IEP and share it with the team prior to the meeting. I want to ensure these concerns anchor our discussion and are included in the official IEP document.”

This protects your voice from beginning to end.

⭐ And if you want help writing a strong PCS…

At Waypoint Advocates™, we help families review their full concern history, communication logs, data, progress reports, behavior patterns, and educational needs to craft Parent Concerns Statements that are clear, strategic, and aligned with the IEP structure.

When you work with Waypoint:

✨ You walk into the meeting prepared✨ You know exactly what needs to be addressed✨ You stay in control of the conversation✨ Your child’s needs lead the direction — not the school’s timeline

Waypoint Advocates™ — Helping parents own their IEP, one meeting at a time.