Dr. William Penn Email and Phone Number

I retired from the field of education after 51 years during which I served as a teacher, school administrated, state official, adjunct university professor, and education consultant. I began my teaching career in the area of special education with the Cincinnati Public Schools and was promoted to the position of supervisor of special education. After earning two degrees from the University of Cincinnati I was awarded a federal scholarship to complete a doctorate in education at the University of Pittsburgh. I served as the Director of Special Education with the Erie City School District and for twenty two years as the Director of the Division for Exceptional Children with the Pittsburgh Public Schools. In 1995, I received the Paul L.Varnum Award from the Three Rivers Chapter, University of Pittsburgh, Phi Delta Kappa for lifetime achievement as a distinguished educator.I was appointed by Governor Thomas Ridge to the position of Director of the Pennsylvania Bureau of Special Education where I also served as the Acting Deputy Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. After retiring from the state position I served as a consultant to school districts and state departments of education and worked with the Grubb Consulting Services, Inc.I have served as adjunct faculty member for 7 colleges and universities in the training of special education teachers and administrators. For 12 years I have served as an adjunct instructor at the University of Pittsburgh where I have collaborated with my wife, Kathryn Daugherty, in teaching graduate courses for the preparation of administrators and supervisors of special education. After teaching on campus we assisted in securing a grant under the Pennsylvania Special Education State Improvement Plan to develop the online program designed to train special education supervisors as well as developing the online Supervision of Special Education and the Legal and Legislation Foundation of Special Education courses.