Getting Started
When your child hasn't been evaluated yet, or you're still figuring out how all of this works.
Evaluation Request Letter
"Your child needs support and the school hasn't taken action yet"
Requests a school evaluation under IDEA or Section 504 and starts the clock on the school's required response timeline. This is how you get your child a formal, school-funded support plan.
Use this when:
- Your child needs support but has never been evaluated by the school
- The school keeps suggesting "wait and see" instead of actually doing anything
- You think ADHD, a learning disability, or another condition might be affecting how your child learns
Parent Concern Statement
"You need your concerns officially on the record before an IEP meeting"
A written statement the IEP team is legally required to consider when developing or revising your child's plan. Unlike things you say in a meeting, written concerns have to be addressed. This letter makes sure your voice is actually part of the official record.
Use this when:
- Before any IEP meeting where you plan to raise concerns
- When verbal concerns haven't been taken seriously
- Any time you want something formally documented that the team must address
504 Plan Request Letter
"Your child needs accommodations but may not need full special education"
Requests the creation, review, or revision of a Section 504 Plan. Eligibility under the ADA is broader than most parents realize. Any condition that substantially limits a major life activity can qualify, even without a formal diagnosis.
Use this when:
- Your child has ADHD, anxiety, or another condition affecting their ability to learn
- They don't need specialized instruction, but do need accommodations like extra time or preferential seating
- An existing 504 Plan isn't being followed or needs to be updated
Meeting Request Letter
"You need to discuss your child's plan before the next scheduled annual review"
Requests an IEP or 504 Plan meeting outside the regular annual cycle. As a parent, you're an equal member of the IEP team. You have the right to request a meeting at any time, and the school doesn't get to talk you out of it.
Use this when:
- Something has changed and your child's plan needs to be revisited now
- You've asked verbally but can't get a meeting on the calendar
- You want to discuss evaluation results, progress data, or a new concern
Follow-Up Documentation Letter
"You had a phone call or conversation and need it in writing"
Puts verbal conversations, meetings, and agreements into writing. In special education advocacy, there's one rule that matters above everything else: if it isn't in writing, it didn't happen. This letter turns verbal promises into documented ones.
Use this when:
- After any phone call or in-person conversation about your child
- After an IEP meeting to confirm exactly what was agreed upon
- Any time you want a paper trail of what was discussed and promised
During Your Plan
When your child already has an IEP or 504 Plan but something isn't working.
IEP Amendment Request
"Something in the IEP isn't working and you can't wait for the annual review"
Requests changes to your child's current IEP, like adding services, updating goals, or adjusting accommodations, without waiting for the next annual review. You don't have to sit through a full year of a plan that isn't working.
Use this when:
- Your child has lost ground or stalled on their IEP goals
- A service needs to change (more time, different setting, a new goal)
- A new need has come up that the current IEP doesn't address
Accommodation Request Letter
"You need specific accommodations added or changed in a 504 Plan"
Requests that specific accommodations be added or updated in a Section 504 Plan. Each request requires a team meeting and a written response from the school. No more being told things verbally and then nothing changing.
Use this when:
- Current accommodations aren't working and you want new ones considered
- Your child's needs have changed and the 504 Plan hasn't kept up
- You have documentation from a doctor or therapist supporting new accommodations
Service Delivery Complaint
"Your child is missing IEP services they're legally entitled to"
Documents and reports missed or incomplete IEP services. When services are missed, the school doesn't get to just shrug it off. They're legally required to provide make-up time.
Use this when:
- Your child is missing therapy sessions, pull-out support, or other IEP services
- The school keeps citing scheduling or staffing issues, but nothing is being rescheduled or made up
- You want a written plan for how missed services will be compensated
Progress Monitoring Request
"You want to see the actual data on whether IEP goals are being met"
Requests the progress data the school is legally required to collect on your child's IEP goals. If they can't produce that data, it means they're either not tracking progress at all, which is a violation, or there's nothing to show. Either way, you deserve answers.
Use this when:
- Progress reports are vague or don't include specific goal data
- Your gut says your child isn't making progress, but the school's reports tell a different story
- It's been a while since you've seen concrete numbers on goal attainment
Extended School Year (ESY) Request
"Your child needs support over the summer to hold on to what they've learned"
Requests Extended School Year services when breaks from school lead to significant skill loss. ESY is not optional. When it's needed, the school is required to provide it as part of your child's right to a free appropriate public education.
Use this when:
- Your child loses progress over the summer and takes a long time to get back to where they were
- The school has never raised ESY even though your child struggles after longer breaks
- You want a formal determination of whether ESY is appropriate
Transition Planning Request
"Your teenager's IEP doesn't have a real plan for life after high school"
Requests real, personalized transition planning for life after high school, including education, employment, and independent living goals. Transition planning is required by law starting at age 16, but a lot of schools treat it as a checkbox instead of an actual plan.
Use this when:
- Your child is 14 or older and transition planning is vague or missing from their IEP
- Post-secondary goals aren't based on your child's actual strengths and interests
- Age-appropriate transition assessments haven't been completed
Escalation
When the school has said no, or isn't following through on what's in the plan.
Prior Written Notice Request
"The school refused something verbally and you want their reasoning in writing"
Requires the school to put any decision, and the reasoning behind it, in writing. It's one of the most useful tools in a parent's toolkit, because decisions that seem final often become a lot more flexible once the school actually has to put them on paper.
Use this when:
- The school verbally refused to evaluate, change services, or provide accommodations
- You want the school's decision and reasoning formally documented
- Before escalating further, because PWN creates the paper trail you need for next steps
Independent Educational Evaluation (IEE) Request
"You disagree with how the school evaluated your child"
Requests an Independent Educational Evaluation at the school's expense when you disagree with how they assessed your child. The district has two options: pay for an outside evaluator, or take you to due process to defend their own evaluation. You don't have to explain or justify why you disagree.
Use this when:
- The school's evaluation found no eligibility but you believe your child qualifies
- The evaluation felt rushed, incomplete, or missed areas of concern
- You want an independent opinion before accepting the school's findings
State Complaint Letter
"The school has violated IDEA and you want a formal state investigation"
Files a complaint with your State Education Agency for specific IDEA violations. The state has to investigate and issue a written response within 60 calendar days. No lawyer needed.
Use this when:
- The school missed evaluation timelines, failed to implement the IEP, or denied required services
- Direct conversations have failed and you need formal accountability
- You want a legally binding corrective action from an outside authority
OCR Complaint (Disability Discrimination)
"The school is discriminating against your child based on their disability"
Files a federal complaint with the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights for Section 504 or ADA violations. Schools pay attention to OCR complaints because the stakes are real: findings can affect a school's access to federal funding.
Use this when:
- The school has failed to implement a 504 Plan or denied 504 protections entirely
- Your child is being treated differently because of their disability
- A state complaint isn't applicable and you need federal enforcement
Dispute Resolution / Mediation Request
"You and the school are at an impasse and need a neutral third party"
Requests mediation or other dispute resolution when direct conversations have hit a wall. A mediator can help both sides reach an agreement that actually works, and if it does, that agreement is legally binding. It's often a much faster path than a formal hearing.
Use this when:
- You've tried to resolve a disagreement directly but can't reach an agreement
- You want a structured process before escalating to due process
- Both sides need a neutral mediator to find a workable solution
Due Process Complaint Outline
"All other options have failed and you need a legally binding decision"
Helps you organize and document the grounds for filing a due process complaint, the strongest enforcement option available under IDEA. A hearing officer reviews the case and issues a decision that's legally binding for both sides.
Use this when:
- State complaints and mediation haven't resolved the issue
- The school has denied FAPE and you need a formal legal remedy
- You're preparing to involve a special education attorney
504 Accommodation Complaint
"Your child's 504 Plan exists on paper but teachers aren't following it"
Documents and reports when 504 accommodations aren't being carried out in the classroom. A plan that's being ignored isn't just frustrating. It's a civil rights violation, and this letter says so.
Use this when:
- Teachers aren't providing the accommodations listed in the 504 Plan
- The school acknowledges the problem but nothing actually changes
- You need a written record before escalating to an OCR complaint
504-to-IEP Escalation Request
"Accommodations alone aren't enough and your child needs more targeted support"
Requests a full IDEA evaluation when your child's 504 Plan isn't enough and specialized instruction may be the right next step. Having a 504 Plan in place doesn't change your right to ask for more.
Use this when:
- Your child has a 504 Plan but keeps falling further behind even with accommodations in place
- A professional has suggested specialized instruction may be needed
- You want to formally explore whether an IEP is more appropriate than a 504 Plan
