Lance Evans

Dr. Lance Evans began serving as Mississippi’s State Superintendent of Education in July 2024. In his more than two-decade career as an educator, he has served as a teacher, coach, assistant principal, elementary principal, high school principal, and district superintendent. Under Dr. Evans’ leadership, Mississippi has implemented initiatives to build upon the state’s historic academic gains, including rising to No. 16 in the nation for education according to the 2025 KIDS COUNT Data Book. Notable achievements include the launch of the Mississippi Superintendent Institute, a new Office of School and District Transformation, and the Mississippi REACH remote teaching program. In 2024-25, Mississippi’s fourth-grade students ranked No. 9 in the nation for reading scores and No. 16 for math scores on NAEP, and the state’s graduation rate reached 89.2%. During his tenure as superintendent of the New Albany School District, the district earned an A rating for six consecutive years, ranked among the top 10% in Mississippi in overall academic performance, and increased its graduation rate from 82% to 95.5%. Dr. Evans’ awards include the 2023 Mississippi Superintendent of the Year and the 2015 Mississippi Principal of the Year. He has served on the boards of Mississippi Association of School Superintendents, the Mississippi Association of School Administrators, and the Governing Board for the American Association of School Administrators. Dr. Evans earned his doctorate from Delta State University, his master’s degree from the University of Mississippi, and his bachelor’s degree from Mississippi State University. He and his wife Brandy have two children, Katie, a college senior, and Landon, a high school junior.