Washoe Country School District
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Superintendent's Biography
Heath Morrison, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Washoe County School District
Dr. Heath E. Morrison is the Superintendent of Washoe County School District in Reno, Nevada. The Washoe County School District is the second largest school district in Nevada with approximately 63,000 students enrolled in 94 schools.
During his first two years at WCSD, Dr. Morrison and the Board of Trustees led the development of the District’s five-year strategic plan, Envision WCSD 2015 – Investing In Our Future. The ambitious reform plan lays out a pathway to ensure every child receives a high-quality education and graduates from high school ready for college and highly-skilled careers. In 2011, the Nevada Association of School Superintendents and the Nevada Association of School Boards each selected Dr. Morrison as the Nevada Superintendent of the Year in recognition of increased graduation rates, a narrowing of the achievement gaps, and leading reforms at the local and state level. Dr. Morrison was also named the 2012 AASA National Superintendent of the Year, an award sponsored by the American Association of School Administrators, ARAMARK Education, and ING.
Under Dr. Morrison’s leadership, WCSD has made tremendous progress in student achievement. In just two years, the District moved the graduation mark from 56 to 70 percent. Additionally, graduation rates for all schools and all groups of students improved. This was accompanied at the same time by two consecutive years of test score gains, which showed success in narrowing the achievement gap. WCSD also saw an increase in the number of students enrolling in more rigorous classes such as algebra and Advanced Placement courses.
Numerous new initiatives also are positively impacting student learning including the expansion of early childhood education, the opening of the new High School Signature Academies, the launch of the Parent University, the District’s new anti-bullying initiatives, the growth in partnerships with businesses and higher education institutions, the creation of more robust evaluation systems, and the use of new tools to improve the transparency and accountability of the District.
Before coming to Nevada, Dr. Morrison was community superintendent for the Down County 
Consortium in Montgomery County Public Schools, Maryland. He also served as a principal in Charles County, Maryland. He holds a Ph.D. in Educational Policy and Planning and a Master of Educational Administration from the University of Maryland. He also has a Bachelor of the Arts in government from the College of William and Mary. In December of 2008, Dr. Morrison was accepted into the 2009 Broad Superintendent Academy, a unique training program utilizing a comprehensive approach to developing successful urban district leaders.
