Stephanie Long

Chief Student Support Officer

Stephanie Long has served as Chief Student Support Officer for Pinellas County Schools since 2023. A dedicated educator and advocate for students, she brings more than three decades of experience in exceptional student education and student services, with a deep commitment to improving outcomes for all learners. 

Mrs. Long began her career in 1991 as an emotional and behavioral disabilities teacher in Hillsborough County. Throughout her career, she has served students and staff in a variety of special education settings across the Hillsborough, Martin, St. Lucie, Pasco and Pinellas County school districts. Much of her work has focused on emotional and behavioral disabilities, intellectual disabilities and autism, with an emphasis on behavioral support and creating opportunities for student success. 

After leaving the classroom, Mrs. Long continued her work in special education leadership, serving as a District Resource Teacher and later as an Exceptional Student Education Coordinator for Pinellas County Schools. From 2009 to 2010, she also served as an adjunct professor at the University of South Florida, teaching courses in behavior management and functional assessment. 

In 2017, Mrs. Long joined Pasco County Schools as Supervisor for Low Prevalence Programs and was later promoted to Senior Supervisor for Special Programs before being appointed Assistant Director of Special Programs and Student Services. In these leadership roles, she advanced systemwide initiatives and strengthened supports across exceptional student education and student services. 

Mrs. Long returned to Pinellas County Schools in 2023 as Chief Student Support Officer. In this role, she oversees the district's Exceptional Student Education and Student Services departments, as well as the district’s schools for students with disabilities, ensuring that students receive the academic, behavioral, and social-emotional supports they need to succeed.  

A lifelong resident of Pinellas County, Mrs. Long is proud to serve the district where she grew up and where her children were raised. She earned a bachelor's degree in Behavioral Disorders from the University of South Florida and a master's degree in Educational Leadership from the Florida Gulf Coast University.