Evans to receive national charter-school award

State Rep. Dwight Evans is scheduled to be presented with a national award tonight for his efforts to advance charter schools.

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools will present its Champion of Charters Award to Evans (D., Phila.), an architect of the state's 1997 charter-school law who helped launch the West Oak Lane Charter School the next year. He is to receive the award from Nelson Smith, president of the Washington-based nonprofit organization, during 6 p.m. ceremonies at West Oak Lane Charter.

Other 2007 winners of the award are U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander (R., Tenn.), Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle, and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley.

- Martha Woodall