Courtney O’Grady

Degree	Area of Study	University
Ph.D.	Special Education (Early Childhood)	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
M.Ed.	Early Childhood Special Education	University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
B.S.	Early Childhood Special Education	Saint Xavier University

Certificate Name	University
English as a New Language	University of Notre Dame

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Year	Award
2023	Student Research Award: Qualitative, Council for Exceptional Children, Division of Research
2022	Campus List of Teachers Ranked as Excellent by their Students, University of Illinois, Individual Differences Birth-Six
2020-22	Fellowship, National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations
2021	Hardie Dissertation Award, University of Illinois College of Education
2017	Joliet Area Great Teachers Award

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1. Batz, R., O’Grady, C., Vinh, M., Yadav, A., & Azabakht, E. (2026). How are children researched and imagined? A systematic review of three EI/ECSE journals. Exceptional Children. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.117700144029261444524
2. O’Grady, C., Burke, M., Hooper, A., Jones, J., & Landmeier, M. (2026). Families as advocates: Ensuring child care access for children with disabilities. Young Exceptional Children. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1177/10962506251396940
3. Chudzik, M., O’Grady, C., Burdick, L., & Corr, C. (2025). Examining early childhood expulsion through a trauma-informed lens. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 45(1), 32-42. https://doi.org/10.1177/02711214241286687.
4. O’Grady, C., Corr, C., Burdick, L., Bentley, B., & Kim, J. (2024). The unintended consequences of expulsion in early care and education settings: Caregivers’ perspectives. Early Childhood Education Journal, 53(7), 2453-2463.  https://doi.org/10/1007/s10643-024-01756-z
5. O’Grady, C., Ostrosky, M.M., Corr, C. & Roy, E. (2024). Exploring how early childhood exclusionary practices persist for multiply marginalized children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly 68 (3), 90-98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecresq.2024.04.008
6. O’Grady, C., Newton, J. R., Mereoiu, M., & Shaffer, L. (2023). The role of leaders in re-imagining inclusive early childhood systems. Division for Early Childhood Recommended Practices Monograph Series No 9: Leadership.¹
7. O’Grady, C. & Ostrosky, M.M. (2023). Early educators’ perceptions of behavior. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education. https://doi.org/10.1177/02711214231170735.
8. O’Grady, C. & Ostrosky, M.M. (2023). Exclusionary discipline in early childhood. Journal of Catholic Education 26(1), 62-82.
9. O’Grady, C., Batool, S., Batz, R., & Vinh, M. (2023). Re-imagining inclusion, equity, and social justice in EI/ECSE. Young Exceptional Children 26(1) 55-57.
10. O’Grady, C. & Ostrosky, M. M. (2021). Suspension and expulsion: Early educators’ perspectives. Early Childhood Education Journal, 51(1) 1-11.
11. O’Grady, C., Jackle, E., & Ostrosky, M. M. (2021). Stopping suspension: Suggestions and strategies. Young Exceptional Children, 26 (3), 157-169.

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Dr. Courtney O’Grady is an assistant professor in the department of Special Education at The University of Alabama. Before transitioning into higher education, she taught inclusive preschool for 10 years. Her background is centered on supporting all young children, with a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education, a master’s degree in early childhood special education, an additional graduate certificate in English as a New Language, and a Ph.D. in special education, with an early childhood focus. Her research aims to advance inclusion for young children with disabilities, disrupt deficit narratives about children and families, examine the preparation of early childhood educators, and support the well-being of the early childhood workforce. Dr. O’Grady serves as an associate editor of Journal of Early Intervention and is on the editorial board of Exceptional Children. She is actively involved with the Division of Early Childhood (DEC) of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), previously serving as a co-chair for the Inclusion, Equity, and Social Justice Committee, and currently chairing the Research Committee. Dr. O’Grady and her husband, Jeff, have two sons, Henry, a sophomore in college, and James, a sophomore in high school.