The Chicago Board of Education approved the appointment of Joshua Long to serve as the District’s new Chief of the Office of Diverse Learner Supports and Services (ODLSS) where he will provide leadership and strategic support to implement the core instructional vision and goals for serving students with disabilities in Chicago Public Schools (CPS).  Mr. Long is an experienced public servant with more than 20 years of experience as a CPS school leader and educator, serving as the principal of Southside Occupational Academy (SOA), a transition center for students with disabilities, since 2010. Mr. Long began his career with the Chicago Public Schools as a speech-language pathologist (SLP) in 2000. Working across many neighborhoods in Chicago, he soon recognized that some students needed more than a traditional education program in order to reach their full potential upon graduation.  Mr. Long became a manager for speech-language pathologists in 2009, before becoming principal of Southside Occupational Academy where he developed a collaborative, inclusive, and culturally-sensitive school environment. Mr. Long earned his Bachelor’s degree in psychology and speech and hearing sciences from Indiana University, a Master’s degree in communication disorders from the University of North Dakota, and a Master’s degree in educational administration from Governors State University. He was a 2016 Cahn Fellow through Columbia University and the proud recipient of the 2019 Golden Apple Stanley C. Golder Leadership Award.