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Mesquite ISD names Dr. Matthew Morris executive director of special education; approves safety coordinator and administrative contracts
Summary
The board unanimously appointed Dr. Matthew Morris as executive director of special education, approved Elizabeth Baker as coordinator of safety and security, and approved contracts for multiple administrative positions, all by 7-0 votes.
The Mesquite Independent School District Board of Trustees on March 10 voted unanimously to appoint Dr. Matthew Morris as the district’s executive director of special education and to approve Elizabeth Baker as coordinator of safety and security. The board also approved contracts for directors, assistant directors, managers, coordinators, assistant principals, counselors and licensed specialists.
Board members voted 7-0 to appoint Dr. Matthew Morris after Superintendent Dr. Rivera and staff outlined Morris’s background, including a bachelor’s in elementary education, a master’s in school administration from Southeastern Oklahoma State University, and an Ed.D. from the University of Houston. District presenters said Morris has experience as an educational diagnostician, oversaw a diagnostician certification program at Region 10, has worked in special education leadership, and is currently serving as assistant director of special education at Keller ISD. The board’s motion to appoint Morris was moved by Trustee Everett and seconded by Trustee Carville.
After the vote, Morris addressed the board, saying, “I would like to express my sincere gratitude for the opportunity to serve as the next executive director of special education in Mesquite ISD,” and thanked trustees, district leaders and his wife.
The board also approved Elizabeth Baker’s appointment, with a motion from Trustee Bingham and a second from Trustee Collier. District materials presented at the meeting described Baker’s roughly two decades of experience, including 10 years of military service as a cryptologic linguist and intelligence analyst, 10 years teaching physics and computer science at Mesquite High School, and recent work as a school counselor and lead counselor at Brueland Vanguard High School. Presenters noted Baker was named Mesquite ISD secondary counselor of the year for 2022–23 and Texas School Counselors Association secondary counselor of the year for 2024–25.
Later in the meeting the board approved a consolidated motion to authorize employment contracts for a list of administrative and licensed staff positions; that motion also passed unanimously, 7-0. The board did not discuss individual contract terms in public during the session.
