Morgan Smith
reports on politics and education for the Tribune, which she joined in November 2009. She writes about the effects of the state budget, school finance reform, accountability and testing in Texas public schools. Her political coverage has included congressional and legislative races, as well as Gov. Rick Perry's presidential campaign, which she followed to Iowa and New Hampshire.
In 2013, she received a National Education Writers Association award for "Death of a District," a series on school closures. After earning a bachelor's degree in English from Wellesley College, she moved to Austin in 2008 to enter law school at the University of Texas.
A San Antonio native, her work has also appeared in Slate, where she spent a year as an editorial intern in Washington D.C.
msmith@texastribune.org
512.716.8620
Recent Contributions
State Rep. Craig Eiland (r), D-Galveston, speaks against HB274 the lawsuit reform bill as Rep. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, listens on May 9, 2011.
Texas got one step closer today to becoming one of the few states with a rule that awards legal fees to prevailing parties in lawsuits.
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House Democrats, including Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, at microphone, call a point of order on a "sanctuary cities" bill on May 6, 2011.
A day of parliamentary chaos in the House ended with the passage of Gov. Rick Perry’s newest emergency item: a tort reform bill. And a powerful message from Republicans to Democrats: mess with us at your own peril.
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State Rep. Warren Chisum, R-Pampa, in 2009.
With 37 members missing from House's first Saturday meeting— many of them Republicans — Democrats seized a chance to cause some procedural mischief when they realized only 14 of them would have to walk out to break a quorum.
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State Rep. Rob Eissler (c, top), R-The Woodlands, and State Rep. Borris Miles (c, bottom) wait for a ruling on HB400 point of order on April 26, 2011.
Lawmakers in the House took a second swing at state Rep. Rob Eissler's school mandate relief bill late Friday night. And once again, they whiffed.
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photo illustration by: Todd Wiseman
Attention, gamblers. A Texas House committee surprised the casino lobby Friday night when it voted out legislation that would allow video lottery terminals — slot machines — at state racetracks and Indian reservations. The casinos were left behind.
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photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Rep. Brandon Creighton R-Conroe during the State Sovereignty Committee on March 17th ,2011
With the House set to take up a loser-pays bill for the second time tomorrow, Gov. Rick Perry has added an item to his emergency list: tort reform.
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photo by: Caleb Bryant Miller
Substitute teacher Nemir Naayem watches the hallways at Austin Premiere Academy during TAKS testing.
A bill in the Legislature aims to adjust the formula for assessing completion and dropout rates at dropout recovery charters, which supporters say penalizes the schools who serve challenging populations.
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July 18, 2008 - Rene Nunez, former Texas State Board of Education board member.
Did former State Board of Education member Rene Nunez violate state law when he encouraged four current board members to extend the contract with the company managing the state's $25 billion Permanent School Fund?
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Did former State Board of Education member Rene Nunez violate state law when he encouraged four current board members to extend the contract with the company managing the state's $25 billion Permanent School Fund?
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Senator Jeff Wentworth (r), R-San Antonio, discusses his campus-carry amendment with Sen. Judith Zaffirini (l), D-Laredo, on the floor of the Texas Senate on April 28, 2011.
When the Senate approved an amendment to state Sen. Judith Zaffirini's higher education bill that would permit the carry of concealed handguns on university campuses by a vote of 19 to 12, the Laredo Democrat killed her own legislation to prevent it from going through.
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photo by: Marjorie Kamys Cotera
Sen. Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, listens to debate after bringing budget bill CSHB1 to the floor on May 3, 2011.
The Texas Tribune is liveblogging the Senate's debate over its substitute for House Bill 1, the proposed budget for the next biennium.
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Local students gather in front of the residence of former US President George W. Bush after hearing news of Osama bin Laden's death
When it comes to acknowledging those responsible for bringing down Osama bin Laden — which politicians are understandably eager to do — there is a noticeable inconsistency in whom Texas' leaders are choosing to mention in their official statements.
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Sen. Florence Shapiro, R-Plano, speaks to the press on Senate support for Texas teachers and classrooms on March 23, 2011.
A bill authorizing a major rethink of teacher evaluation in Texas public schools has teachers organizations scuffling with Senate Education Committee Chairwoman Florence Shapiro, R-Plano.
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State Rep. Borris Miles (l), D-Houston, raises a point of order on HB400 the education bill sponsored by State Rep. Rob Eissler (r), R-The Woodlands, on April 26, 2011.
The House was set to debate a bill that would scrap a 27-year-old law mandating a 22-to-1 student-teacher ratio in kindergarten through fourth grade today — but before it got the chance, state Rep. Borris Miles, D-Houston, derailed the legislation with a point of order.
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House Bill 127 would make middle and high school students leave campus if they want to satisfy their soda fix.
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