Halfway Through the School Year? Here’s How to Finally Own Your Child’s IEP Meeting-Writing a Parent Concerns Statement-PCS.

We’re now halfway through the school year, and if you’re still feeling overwhelmed, unheard, or frustrated with your child’s IEP, you are far from alone. This is exactly the time of year when parents begin to realize:

“Something isn’t working… and the meeting isn’t giving us what we need.”

The truth is, you can take control of your next IEP meeting — but only if you walk in with a plan and understand how to use the most powerful tool you already have: your voice.

Let’s talk about how to do that.

⭐ Start With the Most Powerful Tool You Have: The Parent Concerns Statement

I always tell families: The Parent Concerns Statement (PCS) is your compass, your roadmap, your grocery list, and your leverage — all in one.

Think of it this way:

Throughout the year, you notice things. Your child struggling with writing… meltdown during transitions… declining grades… missing services… unclear communication… behavior issues… social struggles…

Every time you see a need, put it on the list. Just like you jot down milk or bread when you’re running low — you capture what your child needs so it’s never forgotten.

But the real magic happens before the meeting.

⭐ A Day or So Before the Meeting: Turn Your List Into a Formal Parent Concerns Statement

A day or two before your scheduled IEP meeting, take your running “grocery list” and turn it into a clear, structured Parent Concerns Statement.

Once it’s written, send it to the school so they can insert it directly into your child’s IEP before the meeting starts. This ensures the team already has your priorities in front of them — and it signals that you’re walking into this meeting prepared and focused.

And this part is critical:

IDEA requires the IEP team to address each concern you list.

Under 20 U.S.C. §1414(d)(1)(A)(i)(II), the IEP must include:

“The concerns of the parents for enhancing the education of their child.”

This means every concern you put in writing must be:✔ acknowledged✔ discussed✔ documented✔ addressed with a real explanation or action

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

Sending the PCS ahead of time ensures your concerns become part of the official record — and guarantees they cannot be rushed through or ignored during the meeting.

⭐ What To Say When the School Wants to “Stick to the Agenda”

Parents hear this all the time:

“We’ll get to that.” “We aren’t at that section yet.” “We’ll cover concerns at the end.”

But here’s the truth: You can ask to discuss any part of the IEP at any time. There is no rule that parents must wait until the meeting is almost over to talk about their concerns.

And considering that most meetings are scheduled for 30–60 minutes, waiting until the end almost guarantees your concerns won’t receive the time they deserve.

So here’s what to say—calm, confident, and effective:

“Given the limited time we have today, I’d like to begin with my Parent Concerns Statement so we can ensure the most important issues are addressed first.”

This simple statement shifts the meeting from school-led to collaborative and parent-centered, exactly the way federal law intended.

⭐ Why Starting With Parent Concerns Changes Everything

When you start with your PCS, the entire meeting transforms:

✔ The team knows your priorities from minute one✔ Services, goals, and supports flow naturally from your concerns✔ There is less avoidance, delay, or deflection✔ You stay in control of the focus and direction✔ Your child’s needs — not the school’s script — drive the meeting

This is how you stop reacting and start leading the meeting.

⭐ The Half-Year Mark Is the Perfect Time to Reset

If your child isn’t making progress…

If communication feels scattered…

If supports aren’t working…

If behaviors are increasing…

If you feel dismissed…

This is your reset moment.

Mid-year is when you look at what’s working, what’s missing, and what needs to change for the remainder of the school year. And it all starts with a strong Parent Concerns Statement and a confident meeting strategy.

⭐ Ready to Level Up? Here’s Your 3-Step Plan

1️⃣ Keep a running list of concerns all year.

Add to it whenever you see a need arise.

2️⃣ A day or so before the meeting, turn it into a Parent Concerns Statement and send it to the school.

3️⃣ Start the meeting by saying:

“Due to time constraints, I’d like to begin with my Parent Concerns Statement.”

These three steps alone dramatically increase your success in the meeting.

🚀📄 Access our FREE step-by-step guide here to learn exactly how to write an effective Parent Concerns Statement for your child’s IEP.

https://www.waypointadvocates.com/post/exactly-how-to-write-a-powerful-parent-concerns-statement-for-your-child-s-iep-step-by-step

⭐ And If You Want Help Writing a Powerful Parent Concerns Statement…

You don’t have to figure it out alone.

At Waypoint Advocates™, we sit down with parents to review their full concern history, classroom data, progress reports, behavior patterns, communication records, and evaluations to help craft a strong Parent Concerns Statement that anchors the entire meeting.

When you work with Waypoint:✨ You gain clarity✨ You walk into the meeting confident✨ You know your child’s needs will be addressed✨ You stop being talked to and start being talked with

Waypoint Advocates

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