MONTGOMERY, Texas – Superintendent Heath Morrison, Ed. D., announced Wednesday that he is stepping down as superintendent of Montgomery Independent School District.
Morrison said he plans to disclose the details of his next role in the near future but shared that he will be leading a national organization focused on addressing the biggest challenges to public education.
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“My time in Montgomery has truly been an amazing journey and I could not be more grateful for the opportunity to serve as superintendent of this outstanding school district,” Morrison said. “It was an extremely difficult decision, but I have been presented with an opportunity to lead an organization that is working to solve arguably the most serious challenge impacting education. As a servant leader, I felt called to consider this next step in my leadership journey.”
In a news release, board president Laurie Turner said she was grateful for Morrison’s leadership and shared confidence in the district’s ability to “continue building upon the momentum of the previous several years.”
“While we are disappointed that he will no longer serve as superintendent, we are excited and proud of him for the opportunity that he has accepted,” Board President Laurie Turner said. “The work Dr. Morrison has done over the last three years has set our educators and students up for long-term success. He has made incredible improvements to our district, and I am so grateful for his leadership. He constantly proved that he was right the leader for us, at the right time.”
Morrison was named superintendent in July 2020 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. The district said he immediately enacted a “return-to-school” plan that led to Montgomery ISD being one of the first districts in the state and nation to re-open schools for in-person learning. By October 2020, 95% of students in Montgomery ISD were engaged in traditional, in-person learning, the release said.
Under Morrison’s leadership, the district adopted a comprehensive strategic plan in 2021 that included administrators, teachers, support staff, students, parents and members of the community.
The district stated that employee compensation and school safety were also top budget priorities under Morrison’s leadership. Since 2020, teachers in Montgomery ISD have reportedly received over 14% in salary increases, with all other employees receiving at least 12%. Additionally, since 2020, the district has added seven full-time officers to the Montgomery ISD Police Department.
The Montgomery ISD Board of Trustees will hold a special meeting in July to discuss the leadership transition and a new timeline.
“We are extremely confident that our district will continue to experience success, in large part due to the amazing teachers in our district and the outstanding campus and district administrators Dr. Morrison has assembled to lead Montgomery ISD,” Board Vice President Nate Robb said. “The positive impact he had on our district over the last three years will be felt for many years into the future.