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Courtney Donovan

A special education teacher for more than 30 years, as well as the mother of a deaf young man with autism, Courtney is uniquely qualified to help parents understand and advocate for their children's special education rights.

Education

  • Education, B.S. with Honors, Pennsylvania State University

  • Education, M.S., Gratz College

  • Pennsylvania Certification, Instruction II

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Honors and Appointments

  • Appointed to the Special Education Advisory Panel (SEAP) of the Bureau of Special Education, PA

  • Appointed to the Stakeholders Advisory Panel for the PA Dept. of Welfare

  • Appointed to the PA State Interagency Coordinating Committee

Professional Activities

  • Founder and President of the board, Help Patrick Feed the Babies 

  • Parent chair of the PA State Interagency Coordinating Committee

  • Co-chair of the Transition to Adulthood Committee, PA Autism Task Force

  • Member of the Waiver Committee, PA Autism Task Force

  • Initiated and member of the S.I.C.C. ad hoc committee for universal hearing screening for infants in PA

  • Founding member of the PA Action Coalition for Autism Services (P.A.C.A.S.)

  • Member of the Special Education Advisory Panel (SEAP) of the Bureau of special education, PA

  • Founding member of One Voice Coalition

A special education teacher for more than 30 years, as well as the mother of a deaf young man with autism, Courtney is uniquely qualified to help parents understand and advocate for their children's special education rights.


In her more than 30 years working in Pennsylvania public schools, Courtney taught students with learning, social and behavioral differences, participated as the district’s representative in thousands of IEP meetings and trained and mentored special education teachers. Courtney also chaired the behavior support committee, which designed positive interventions for students with significant behavioral needs and was responsible for developing, adopting, and implementing all 504 contracts in her district.

Since retiring from public education in 2012, Courtney has advocated for children with disabilities, assisting hundreds of students in obtaining appropriate programs and placements to meet their needs in early intervention, elementary, middle and high schools.

 

Courtney has been active on committees and boards and has been recognized for her years of advocacy for persons with disabilities.  She brings this personal and professional experience to every family she assists.

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