"Getting a doctorate is a process," Crouch said. "For me, one reason I chose to seek this degree was to be a good role model in lifelong learning for my children. Another reason was to better help as many children as possible by understanding and studying the obstacles they are faced with in their lives.
"Working with at-risk students is my passion and calling," Crouch said. "I have been working with at-risk students most of my educational career. I am continuously learning not only about curriculum, instruction, and behavior management skills and strategies, but also institutional, situational, and dispositional barriers at-risk students experience throughout their educational careers that influence their achievement and learning. We (educators) make strides to knock down those barriers to reach every child. I want to assist others in that process. This will help me do that."
Crouch began her career in Graves County Schools as a special education teacher at Graves County High School, where she taught for three years in the special education department as well as in the credit recovery program. Upon receiving her master's degree in 2007, Donna became principal of Gateway Academy High School, a non-punitive alternative school for children with unique needs, in Graves County. In 2016, she also became principal of the district's alternative education center, which is a behavior-based placement. In 2017, she assisted other district administrators in establishing a virtual learning program for the school district.
Crouch is a graduate of Murray State University with a Bachelor of Science in Special Education and a Master of Arts in Education in educational administration, Level II and Rank I. Crouch holds another bachelor's degree in Journalism/Sociology and minor in criminology from Western Kentucky University. She has a teaching certification in special education learning behavior disorders P-12 as well as educational administration certifications in superintendent, principal, director of special education, director of pupil personnel, and supervisor of instruction. She also has school safety endorsements in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
