Five of the nine seats on the school board are up in November.

Several school board members said they were disappointed to see Evans go, given the district’s progress during his tenure.

They thanked him for his service and the long hours he spent on the job overseeing changes that board President Lou Ann Goding said have resulted in a major cultural shift in the district.

“We’ve implemented a lot of change over the last four years under your leadership, and I think we can all feel good about that,” said board member Katie Underwood.

Board Vice President Yolanda Williams was emotional, saying Evans had a visible presence across OPS classrooms and in the community.

“Thank you for being an inspiration for the 52,000 students in our district,” she said.

Evans said he would leave a school district that now has a tighter focus and improved student achievement. State test scores for OPS are on the rise, and the district’s lowest-performing schools, in particular, showed growth when state test scores were released last month.

“I was hired approximately four years ago, and where we are today, now versus then, the progress is incredible,” Evans said.