Summary. Eighteen documents. Template 2 asks the question that changes the most outcomes.
Send these first
Today, before any meeting: Template 1 (records), Template 2 (the removal-day count), and — if a disability is suspected and none is identified — Template 3 (the evaluation request), which costs nothing and can bring an entire framework of protections into play.
And make one phone call: the Parent Training and Information Center in your state. Federally funded, free, and staffed by people who do this daily. They will tell you in twenty minutes what the district is required to do.
Template 1 — Records request
[Date] · Send by email so you have a timestamp
RE: Request for education records — [Student], DOB [], Grade [], [School]
Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, I request to inspect and review, and to receive copies of, all education records for my child, including:
- The complete cumulative file
- All disciplinary records, incident reports, and referrals
- All witness and student statements relating to the incident of [date]
- Any video or audio recording relating to that incident
- Attendance records, including every removal — out-of-school suspensions, in-school suspensions, early dismissals, and bus suspensions
- All IEP, 504, evaluation, and eligibility records
- Any functional behavioral assessment and behavior intervention plan, and all behavior data
- Any restraint or seclusion incident reports
- All communications among school staff concerning my child
- Health and counseling records maintained by the school
- Any law enforcement referral or SRO documentation
A hearing is scheduled for [date]. I am requesting these records in time to review them before that hearing.
Please advise of any copying charge before producing.
[Name] · [Contact] · [Date]
Template 2 — Removal-day count request
The question schools do not track and parents do not ask.
RE: [Student], [ID] — request for complete removal history, [school year]
Please provide in writing a complete accounting of every day my child has been removed from the regular educational placement this school year:
Type Dates Duration Services provided? Out-of-school suspension In-school suspension Yes / No — specify Early dismissal / "send-home" for behavior Bus suspension (where transportation is a related service) Removal to an alternative setting Other Please state the cumulative total of school days.
[If applicable:] My child has [an IEP / a 504 plan]. If the cumulative total exceeds ten school days, please advise when a manifestation determination was or will be conducted, and provide the documentation of any that has already occurred.
[Name] · [Date]
Also count them yourself, on a calendar. Partial days, early dismissals, and service-free in-school removals count, and districts frequently do not record them as removals.
Template 3 — Evaluation request
Two minutes, free, and it can change the entire framework.
[Date]
RE: Request for special education evaluation — [Student], DOB [], Grade []
I am requesting a full and individual evaluation of my child for special education and related services.
My concerns: [specific — attention · behavior and emotional regulation · reading · writing · math · speech and language · executive function · social skills · anxiety].
These have manifested as: [specific observations, with approximate dates — "difficulty completing work since (month)" · "escalating conflicts with peers, roughly (frequency)" · "reading below grade level per the (assessment)"].
Please send me the consent forms and advise of the timeline for completing the evaluation under state and federal law.
I am also requesting consideration of eligibility under Section 504 if my child is not found eligible under IDEA.
[If discipline is pending:] I am making this request now and note that my child is currently subject to a disciplinary proceeding.
[Name] · [Contact] · [Date]
Copy retained.
Why this matters beyond the evaluation: the discipline protections can reach a student not yet found eligible where the school had knowledge of a disability before the conduct — including because a parent requested an evaluation in writing.
Template 4 — Manifestation meeting request
RE: [Student] — request for manifestation determination review
My child has been removed for a cumulative total of [N] school days this year, exceeding ten. My child has [an IEP / a 504 plan].
I am requesting a manifestation determination review, and I request the following before the meeting:
- All behavior data collected this year
- The current IEP / 504 plan and any behavior intervention plan
- Any functional behavioral assessment ever conducted
- Documentation that the plan was being implemented on the date of the incident, including staff training records
- The incident report and all statements
- Progress monitoring data on behavior goals
Questions I will be asking at the meeting:
- Has an FBA ever been conducted, and when?
- Is the BIP being implemented as written? What does the data show?
- Which provisions of the plan address this behavior, and were they in place that day?
- Was the responsible staff member trained on the plan?
- How is this behavior different from the behavior the plan was written to address?
Please confirm the meeting date and who will attend.
[Name] · [Date]
Template 5 — Incident timeline
INCIDENT TIMELINE — [Student], [date of incident]
Time What happened Who was present Source Child's account Incident report Witness statement My child's account, in their own words (written down the same day, before repetition shaped it):
[ ]
What preceded the incident: [trigger · the class or setting · what was being asked · who else was involved · what had happened earlier that day or week]
What the school says happened: [ ]
Points of agreement: [ ] Points of disagreement: [ ]
Who was questioned, when, by whom, and was a parent present? [ ] Was a school resource officer involved? [ ] Was I notified before questioning? [ ]
Template 6 — Comparator worksheet
| Other student involved | What they did | Consequence they received | Same policy provision? | Same administrator? | Source of my information |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Questions to answer:
- Who else was involved in this specific incident, and what did each receive?
- Who else has violated this policy provision this year, and what happened?
- Is there a pattern in how this provision is applied?
Where to get it: the district's published discipline data by race and disability (public) · your child's account · other parents · the record itself.
Do not name other students' confidential information in a public filing — describe them by role or initial and let the district identify them.
Template 7 — Meeting question sheet
Print it. Take it in. Write the answers on it.
QUESTIONS — [Student], meeting of [date], attendees: [___]
Question Answer What exactly is the alleged conduct? Which policy provision does it violate? (section number) What is the evidence? May I see the incident report and statements? Is there video? Who else was involved, and what consequence did they receive? How many days has my child been removed this year, counting everything? Is an evaluation pending? Is there a 504 plan or IEP? What alternatives to removal were considered? What educational services will be provided during removal? What is the appeal process and the deadline? Will this appear on the disciplinary record? Can it be expunged? Was law enforcement involved or notified? The closing question: "Before we finalize this — what alternatives to removal has the district considered, and what would it take to keep him in school?"
DO NOT: sign anything unread · agree to a "voluntary" transfer or withdrawal · let my child give a further statement if law enforcement is involved.
Template 8 — Confirming email
Send the same day, every time.
Thank you for meeting today about [student].
My understanding of what was decided:
- The consequence is [___], effective [date] through [date]
- Educational services during the removal will be [], beginning [date], provided by []
- [Other agreements]
- The appeal deadline is [date]
Please correct me in writing if any of that is inaccurate.
I also asked about [alternatives to removal / the FBA / the removal-day count / the record], and [the response was ___ / I have not yet received a response — could you follow up?].
[Name] · [Date]
Template 9 — Hearing preparation
HEARING — [Student], [date], before [hearing officer / panel / board]
THE CHARGE: [Policy § ___] — "[quote the provision]"
WHAT THE DISTRICT MUST SHOW: [elements of the provision, broken out]
Element District's evidence My response MY EXHIBITS
# Document What it shows A Removal-day count [N] days — exceeds ten B Written evaluation request dated [___] School knowledge before the conduct C IEP / BIP The behavior the plan addresses D Behavior data Plan not implemented E Policy pages, highlighted Required procedure F My correspondence Requests made and unanswered G Incident timeline MY WITNESSES
Name Role What they will say MY THREE POINTS (if you say nothing else)
- [ ]
- [ ]
- [ ]
WHAT I AM ASKING FOR: [reversal / reduction to ___ / expungement / return to placement / an FBA and revised BIP / an evaluation]
Bring: four copies of everything · a second adult to take notes · the policy · this sheet.
Template 10 — Appeal letter
[Date] · FILED WITHIN THE APPEAL PERIOD
RE: Appeal of disciplinary decision — [Student], [ID], decision dated [date]
To: [Superintendent / Board of Education]
RELIEF REQUESTED
- Reversal of the [suspension / expulsion]
- In the alternative, reduction to [___]
- Expungement of the disciplinary record
- Return to placement pending this appeal
GROUND ONE — PROCEDURAL FAILURE. [District Policy § ___] requires "[quote]." That did not occur: [specifically what was omitted, with dates]. (Attachment ___)
GROUND TWO — THE POLICY DOES NOT COVER THIS CONDUCT. [Policy § ___] defines the offense as "[quote]." What occurred was [factual description]. It does not meet the definition.
GROUND THREE — THE CONSEQUENCE EXCEEDS WHAT IS PERMITTED. [Policy § ] provides a range of []. The consequence imposed was [___].
GROUND FOUR — DISPARATE TREATMENT. [Other students], involved in the same incident or the same conduct on [dates], received [___].
GROUND FIVE — DISABILITY. [No manifestation determination was conducted, though my child had been removed for (N) cumulative school days / The determination was reached without the FBA, the behavior data, or evidence of implementation / I requested an evaluation in writing on (date), before the conduct.]
GROUND SIX — THE EVIDENCE DOES NOT SUPPORT THE FINDING. [Specific.]
ATTACHED: the notice of [date] · the decision of [date] · the relevant policy pages, highlighted · education record excerpts · my correspondence of [dates] · the removal-day count.
[Name] · [Contact] · [Date]
Two to three pages plus attachments. Facts flatly. No adjectives, no history of grievances.
Template 11 — Expungement and record amendment
RE: [Student], [ID] — request to amend education records
Under FERPA, I request amendment of my child's education records on the ground that the following is inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of my child's privacy rights:
Record What it says Why it should be amended or removed Disciplinary record, [date] [The decision was reversed on appeal on (date) / The finding was not supported / The consequence was reduced and the record does not reflect it] Requested action: [Expunge the entry entirely / Amend it to reflect ___ / Add the appeal outcome].
I understand that if you decline to amend, I am entitled to a hearing on the matter, and that if the record is not amended after a hearing, I may place a statement in the file commenting on the information and stating my disagreement — and that this statement must be maintained with and disclosed alongside the record.
Please advise of your decision within [the applicable period].
[Name] · [Contact] · [Date]
Why it matters: a disciplinary record follows a student into course placement, athletics eligibility, alternative program referrals, and later applications.
Template 12 — Bullying report
[Date] · To a named administrator, by email
RE: Report of bullying / harassment — [Student], [Grade]
I am reporting that my child is being [bullied / harassed] at school.
Date What occurred Who Where Witnesses [If applicable:] I believe this conduct is because of my child's [race / color / national origin / sex / sexual orientation / gender identity / disability / religion].
The effect on my child: [specific — declining grades · school refusal · anxiety · physical symptoms · withdrawal].
Requests:
- Investigation under the district's anti-bullying policy. Please advise of the timeline the policy requires and the date I will receive a written finding.
- Interim measures to protect my child — [a no-contact directive · schedule adjustment · supervision changes] — that do not disadvantage my child. I ask that any schedule or placement change be made to the other student, not mine.
- Written confirmation of what action has been taken.
[If it has continued:] I previously reported this on [dates]. The conduct has continued on [dates]. What action has been taken?
[Name] · [Contact] · [Date]
Template 13 — Restraint and seclusion request
RE: [Student] — request regarding use of restraint and seclusion
Please provide, in writing:
- Whether physical restraint or seclusion has been used with my child, and how many times, with the date of each incident
- A written incident report for each — the duration, who was involved, what preceded it, what de-escalation was attempted first, and what injuries if any resulted
- Whether and when I was notified of each incident, and by what means
- The district policy and the state law governing restraint and seclusion
- Staff training records for the individuals involved
- Documentation of any debriefing conducted afterward
I am also requesting a functional behavioral assessment. Repeated use of restraint indicates that the current plan is not working and that the function of the behavior has not been identified.
I object to the use of restraint and seclusion with my child except in a genuine emergency involving imminent risk of serious physical harm, and I request that the behavior intervention plan expressly so provide.
[Name] · [Contact] · [Date]
Copy: [State education agency] · [Protection and Advocacy agency]
Template 14 — Homeless liaison request
RE: [Student] — request for services under the federal homeless education provisions
My family is currently [without a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence / doubled up with another family due to loss of housing / staying in a shelter, motel, or vehicle].
I am requesting to speak with the district's homeless liaison and to receive:
- Immediate enrollment, without records that are not immediately available
- The right for my child to remain in the school of origin, if that is in their best interest
- Transportation to the school of origin
- Assistance obtaining records, immunizations, and required documentation
- Information about available services and any dispute process
[If attendance letters have been received:] I am also asking that any truancy proceeding be reconsidered in light of these circumstances.
[Name] · [Contact] · [Date]
Template 15 — Office for Civil Rights complaint
COMPLAINT — U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
Complainant: [Name, relationship to student, contact] Student: [Name, grade, school] · District: [Name, address] Date(s) of the discrimination: [___] (generally must be filed within 180 days)
BASIS (check all that apply): [ ] Race [ ] Color [ ] National origin [ ] Sex [ ] Disability [ ] Age
WHAT HAPPENED
Date Event WHY I BELIEVE IT IS DISCRIMINATORY
- Comparators — [describe: students of a different (race/disability status) who did the same thing and received a lesser consequence]
- The district's own discipline data shows [pattern]
- Failure to respond to harassment I reported on [dates]
- Failure to provide required disability protections — [no manifestation determination · services not provided during removal · evaluation refused]
- Other: [___]
WHAT I DID — reported on [dates] to [names]; appealed on [date]; the outcome was [___].
RELIEF REQUESTED: [reversal · expungement · compensatory services · policy change · staff training · systemic review].
ATTACHED: correspondence · the decision · the education record · the removal-day count · policy excerpts.
[Signature] · [Date]
Free. No lawyer required.
Template 16 — Re-entry plan request
RE: [Student] — re-entry meeting request
My child returns on [date]. I am requesting a re-entry meeting before that date to address:
- What supports will be in place — [counseling · check-in/check-out · a designated adult · schedule adjustment · a modified setting]
- Whether the placement or schedule should change, and whether the situation that produced the incident still exists
- Who my child's point of contact is when something goes wrong
- What the plan is if a similar situation arises — for my child and for staff
- Whether an FBA or a revised behavior plan is warranted
- How missed work will be made up, and what academic support is available
- [If applicable:] Whether the IEP or 504 plan should be revised
A student who returns to exactly the circumstances that produced the incident is likely to produce another one. I would like to avoid that.
[Name] · [Date]
Template 17 — Master file index
[STUDENT] — DISCIPLINE MATTER FILE
Tab Document Date Have it? 1 District discipline policy (relevant pages highlighted) ☐ 2 State education code provisions ☐ 3 Notice of the charge ☐ 4 Incident report ☐ 5 Witness statements ☐ 6 Video, if any ☐ 7 Removal-day count ☐ 8 Attendance record ☐ 9 IEP / 504 plan ☐ 10 FBA and BIP ☐ 11 Behavior data ☐ 12 Evaluation request and response ☐ 13 Manifestation determination documentation ☐ 14 All my correspondence, dated ☐ 15 Meeting notes and confirming emails ☐ 16 The decision ☐ 17 Appeal and any response ☐ 18 Comparator notes ☐ Deadlines: appeal due [] · records due [] · evaluation timeline ends [] · OCR window closes []
Template 18 — Free help directory
Resource What they do Contact Parent Training and Information Center (every state, federally funded, FREE) Advise on IEPs, 504s, manifestation, discipline; will frequently attend meetings District parent liaison / ombudsperson Internal advocacy Protection and Advocacy agency (every state) Disability-related school matters, including restraint Legal aid Education units in many offices Law school clinic State education agency complaint process Special education and other complaints Office for Civil Rights Race, national origin, sex, disability, age — free, no lawyer, 180 days Private attorney Ask about fee shifting — the special education statute provides fees to a prevailing parent Call the Parent Training and Information Center BEFORE the meeting. Twenty minutes, free, and they will frequently identify the one question that changes the matter.
The short version
- Request the records, the removal-day count, and — if a disability is suspected — an evaluation. Today, in writing.
- Count the removal days yourself. Partial days and service-free in-school removals count.
- Past ten days with an IEP or 504: demand the manifestation determination.
- Call the parent center before the meeting.
- Ask, do not argue. Sign nothing. Agree to no "voluntary" withdrawal.
- Send the confirming email the same day.
- Find the appeal deadline and calendar it.
- Ask for expungement, and for return pending appeal.
Related documents
- School Discipline and Student Rights
- Responding to a School Discipline Matter
- School Discipline Response Checklist
- Special Education Advocacy Toolkit
- Juvenile Defense Toolkit
- Disability Rights Toolkit
- Mental Health Advocacy Toolkit
Educational only, not legal advice. Adapt every template to your state and district. School discipline procedures come primarily from state law and district policy — get both before the meeting.