Writing a Powerful Parent Concerns Letter

Of all the documents in your advocacy binder, the Parent Concerns Letter may be the most impactful. Submitted to the IEP team a week or two before your meeting, this letter is your formal opportunity to get your concerns on the record and to set the agenda for the meeting. It transforms you from a passive attendee into a proactive leader of the IEP team.

A well-crafted letter is not a laundry list of complaints. It is a professional, organized, and child-focused document that establishes a collaborative tone while clearly articulating your perspective. Here is a simple, four-part structure you can use to write a powerful parent concerns letter.

Part 1: Start with Strengths

Always begin on a positive note. The first paragraph should be about your child’s strengths, passions, and the successes you’ve seen. This shows the team that you see your child as a whole person, not just a collection of deficits. It also establishes a collaborative, non-adversarial tone for the rest of the letter.

Example: “Thank you for the opportunity to share my input for Michael’s upcoming IEP meeting. We have been so pleased to see his confidence grow in math this year, and his teacher, Mrs. Davis, has been a wonderful support. Michael continues to be a creative and curious child who loves building complex LEGO creations and learning about science.”

Part 2: Clearly State Your Concerns

This is the core of your letter. Use a bulleted list to make your concerns easy to read and digest. Be as specific and objective as possible. Whenever you can, tie your concerns to data or evidence (from school progress reports, your own tracking, or evaluation results).

Instead of: “I’m worried about his reading.”

Try: *“I have several concerns about his progress in reading and writing:

• Reading Fluency: His recent progress report indicates he is reading at 40 words per minute, which is still significantly behind his second-grade peers.
• Spelling: His spelling on homework and in-class assignments continues to be phonetic (e.g., ‘sed’ for ‘said’), which makes his writing difficult to understand.
• Avoidance: He has begun to say he ‘hates reading’ and often complains of stomachaches before reading group.”*

Part 3: Share Your Vision

After you’ve outlined your concerns, briefly share your vision for your child. What are your hopes for them by the end of this IEP cycle? This helps to elevate the conversation from small, incremental goals to the bigger picture of your child’s future success and independence.

Example: “My vision for Michael this year is for him to develop the foundational reading skills he needs to access grade-level text with more confidence and less frustration. I want him to see himself as a capable learner and to rediscover his love of stories.”

Part 4: Propose Your Solutions

You are an equal member of the IEP team, which means you have the right to propose solutions. End your letter by suggesting some topics you’d like to discuss or goals you’d like to see included in the IEP. This shows you are not just there to point out problems, but to be a partner in finding solutions.

Example: *“At the meeting, I would like to discuss:

• Increasing the frequency of his specialized reading instruction to four times per week.
• Adding a specific, measurable goal for spelling using a structured, multi-sensory approach.
• Including access to audiobooks as an accommodation for his science and social studies classes.”*

By sending this letter before the meeting, you give the team time to consider your perspective and come prepared to discuss your points. You ensure that your concerns form the foundation of the conversation, and you firmly establish your role as a prepared, knowledgeable, and collaborative leader of your child’s team.

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Related reading:

• How to Write an Effective Parent Concern Letter
• What to Do When You Disagree with the School
• Your Voice Matters: How to Prepare for an IEP or 504 Meeting