Democratic Appropriations Chairman Dwight Evans was born and raised in Philadelphia and educated in its public school system. He was first elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives in November 1980. Since his first day in the state Capitol, Evans has provided vibrant visionary leadership that has marked his professional career and community-related endeavors.

Evans taught in the Philadelphia Public School system. He also worked for the Urban League of Philadelphia as a job developer, employment counselor and director of several employment projects prior to being elected to the House of Representatives. His ability to forge relationships and build coalitions has been demonstrated again and again. Evans took the lead in bringing together a bipartisan coalition of legislators to examine the issues of public safety in Philadelphia. He also helped to found the Pennsylvania Legislative Commission on Restructuring Urban Schools that has taken a critical look at restructuring the Philadelphia School District. Evans championed the state’s charter school legislation that was passed in 1997.

On the local level, one of Evans’ most successful efforts is the founding of the Ogontz Avenue Revitalization Corporation (OARC), a nonprofit, community development corporation. Through his leadership and dedication, Evans has been able to foster meaningful relationships between grassroots community organizations, government agencies, private sector employers and others that have resulted in a thriving business corridor along Ogontz Avenue.

As Appropriations Chairman, Evans broadened the committee’s work to include comprehensive looks at how to make government perform better to build a stronger Pennsylvania. His legislative endeavors have been many and varied during his more than two decades of service to Pennsylvania. Evans has focused most of his legislative energy on his two passions - improving public education and rebuilding communities. Evans is a thoughtful policymaker who has traveled the country meeting with educational leaders and visiting some of America’s most innovative schools trying to find solutions to the current public education crisis. He has spoken before diverse national audiences at the Brookings Institution, Tennessee Charter School Resource Center, Education Commission on the States, National Conference of State Legislatures, Teach for America and the National Press Club. He is on the National Board of Directors of the Black Alliance for Educational Options (BAEO) and founded the Philadelphia chapter of BAEO.

Evans championed the state’s charter school law and has been the number one volunteer of the West Oak Lane Charter School in Philadelphia since it opened in 1998. He supported the Education Empowerment Act designed to help students in failing school districts and the School District of Philadelphia’s public-private partnership with Community Education Partners to create an alternative school for disruptive students. He is currently focusing his efforts on education reform, teacher recruitment and retention and increasing educational alternatives for families.

Evans currently serves on the boards of directors of the Public School Employees’ Retirement System, Black Alliance for Educational Options, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Pennsylvania Convention and Visitors Bureau, and Concerned Black Men.