I Got the Step Up Scholarship... Now What?
You don't have to figure out homeschooling all alone.
Getting approved for a Step Up for Students scholarship is exciting...
...until you realize how many decisions come next.
Homeschooling.
Curriculum.
Providers.
Evaluations.
Executive functioning.
Schedules.
Family opinions.
Extracurricular activities.
Budgeting.
And somewhere in the middle of all of that, you're still trying to be a parent.
If your brain feels like it has fifty tabs open, you're not alone.
HI, I’m Laura.
As an approved Step Up for Students Choice Navigator, Licensed Mental Health Counselor, former School Guidance Counselor, homeschool mom, and Step Up parent, I help Florida homeschool families slow down, sort through the options, and create a plan that fits their child, their values, and their real life.
My role isn't to tell you what to do.
It's to help you understand your child's unique strengths, challenges, and needs through a neurodivergent-affirming and mentally healthy lens so you can make thoughtful, confident decisions.
Because there isn't one perfect curriculum.
There isn't one perfect homeschool philosophy.
There isn't one perfect roadmap.
There is only the one that fits your child, your family, and the life you're trying to build together.
Whether you're just getting started or simply feeling stuck, you don't have to figure it all out alone.
Does This Sound Like You?
You want to make the most of your Step Up scholarship—but you're not sure where to begin.
Maybe you're wondering...
Am I choosing the right curriculum, or is there a better fit for my child?
Should we invest in therapy, tutoring, or something else first?
My child has ADHD, autism, dyslexia, anxiety, sensory differences, or another unique learning need. Where do I even start?
Everyone in the homeschool Facebook groups seems so confident. Why do I feel so lost?
I don't want to waste scholarship funds on things that won't actually help.
I'm trying to balance homeschooling, work, family life, and everything else on my plate.
I keep second-guessing every decision.
I want someone to help me think through the options…not just tell me what to do.
If you're nodding your head, you're exactly who this service was created for.
You don't need to have everything figured out before we meet. We'll take it one decision at a time and create a plan that feels realistic, sustainable, and right for your family.
How a Choice Navigator Can Help
Think of our session as a place to slow down, think out loud, and create a plan that makes sense for your family.
Every family comes to Choice Navigation with different questions, goals, and challenges. There isn't a one-size-fits-all roadmap, and that's okay.
During our session, we'll focus on what matters most to you. Together, we can explore your options, prioritize next steps, and help you feel more confident about the decisions ahead.
We might talk about:
Understanding your child's unique strengths, needs, and learning style.
Prioritizing how to use your Step Up scholarship.
Therapy, tutoring, evaluations, or other support services.
Homeschool routines, schedules, and executive functioning challenges.
Resources that fit your family's goals and values.
Questions about homeschooling through a neurodivergent-affirming and mentally healthy lens.
Building a plan that feels realistic—not overwhelming.
You don't have to have all the answers before we meet.
You just have to know where you'd like a little more clarity.
What I Can Help With
Every family's journey looks different, and no two Choice Navigator sessions are exactly alike.
Whether you're just getting started or trying to make sense of your next step, our time together is designed around your family's questions, your child's unique needs, and your goals.
Together, we can explore topics such as:
Prioritizing how to use your Step Up scholarship based on your child's unique needs.
Understanding evaluations, recommendations, and reports.
Thinking through therapy, tutoring, educational supports, and extracurricular options.
Homeschool planning, routines, schedules, and executive functioning strategies.
Identifying strengths, challenges, and learning styles.
Exploring educational approaches that align with your child's needs and your family's values.
Finding resources that support both your child's growth and your family's well-being.
Creating a realistic plan with manageable next steps instead of feeling like you have to do everything at once.
Rather than leaving with more information, my goal is for you to leave with greater clarity, confidence, and practical next steps that fit your family.
Why One Conversation Can Save Weeks of Stress
Sometimes taking the time to think things through with someone who's been there brings the clarity you need.
When I first started homeschooling, I did what many parents do.
I researched everything.
✓ Charlotte Mason
✓ Montessori
✓ Classical education
✓ The Good and the Beautiful
✓ Oak Meadow
✓ Khan Academy
✓ Miacademy
✓ FLVS Flex
✓ Explode the Code
✓ Math-U-See
Every curriculum looked like it might be the answer. The blogs made it sound simple. The YouTube reviews were convincing. The homeschool Facebook groups all seemed to have strong opinions. I kept thinking, "Maybe we just haven't found the right fit yet." The more I researched, the more choices I discovered, and instead of feeling more confident, I found myself second-guessing every decision.
Like many new homeschool parents, I also thought I needed to recreate school at home. I bought two desks, converted an entire room into our homeschool classroom, organized the shelves, labeled the supplies, and imagined peaceful mornings where everyone happily worked at their desks.
It turns out that's not how our family learned best.
We’re an ADHD family. I'm an ADHD mom, with an ADHD partner, raising two ADHD boys. It probably isn't surprising that our children didn't naturally want to sit quietly at desks all day. One child preferred the couch. Another learned best sprawled across the floor. Sometimes school happened around the kitchen table. Other days it happened on a bed. The beautiful classroom I spent so much time creating was one of the least-used rooms in the house.
Then came math.
As often happens with homeschool families, we discovered that finding the right curriculum sometimes meant trying more than one. We started with Math-U-See. When it wasn't the right fit, we tried another algebra curriculum...and then another...before finally landing on Denison Algebra. Looking back, I wasn't failing. My son wasn't failing. We were simply trying to find the approach that fit the way he learned. Once we did, everything became easier.
Over time, we stopped trying to build the homeschool we thought we were supposed to have and started building one that actually worked for our family.
We chose curriculum based on how my children learned. We added tutors where they were helpful, let go of the pressure to do things "the right way," and slowly realized that our homeschool didn't have to look like anyone else's to be successful.
Just when I thought we had figured it out, another layer appeared: evaluations, therapy recommendations, educational providers, scholarship budgeting, reports, receipts, deadlines, and trying to decide what needed attention first.
Looking back, I often think one conversation with someone who understood homeschooling, neurodivergence, educational systems, and family dynamics could have saved us months of frustration, countless hours of research, and hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars spent trying to figure everything out on our own.
Would it have guaranteed the perfect plan? Of course not.
But it would have helped us ask better questions before making expensive decisions.
That's one of the reasons I became a Choice Navigator. Not because I have all the answers, but because I know what it's like to carry the invisible mental load of trying to make the best decisions for your child while feeling like every choice matters.
Sometimes families don't need another opinion. They need a place to slow down, organize the information, think through the options, and leave feeling confident about what comes next.
Some families find that a Choice Navigator session gives them the clarity they need. Others benefit from ongoing support through one of my neurodivergent-affirming groups for parents or teens. Together, we can figure out what fits your family best.
Not sure if Choice Navigation is the right fit? A free 15-minute consultation gives us a chance to talk about your family's needs and answer your questions before scheduling a full session.
What to Expect During Your Choice Navigator Session
A practical conversation designed around your family—not a one-size-fits-all checklist.
Every family comes to a Choice Navigator session with different questions, priorities, and goals. Some parents are just beginning their homeschool journey. Others have been homeschooling for years but need help navigating a new diagnosis, changing educational needs, or making the most of their scholarship.
During our session, we'll work together to identify what's most important for your child right now and create a plan that feels clear, realistic, and manageable.
Depending on your family's needs, we may:
✓ Discuss your child's learning style, strengths, and challenges.
✓ Review curriculum options or educational approaches.
✓ Talk through therapy, tutoring, evaluations, or other support services.
✓ Prioritize how to use your scholarship funds effectively.
✓ Review evaluation reports and recommendations together.
✓ Brainstorm homeschool routines and learning environments that fit your child's needs.
✓ Explore local or online resources that may be a good fit.
✓ Create practical next steps so you leave knowing what comes first—and what can wait.
You don't need to prepare the "perfect" questions before we meet.
Some families arrive with binders full of evaluations. Others simply say, "We're overwhelmed. We don't know where to start."
Both are exactly the right place to begin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can use Choice Navigator services?
Choice Navigator services are available to families participating in the Florida Step Up for Students Family Empowerment Scholarship for Students with Unique Abilities (FES-UA). If you're unsure whether your scholarship includes Choice Navigator services, I'm happy to help you determine whether this service is available to your family.
How long is a Choice Navigator session?
Most sessions last about 60 minutes, giving us time to understand your family's goals, answer your questions, and create practical next steps you can feel confident about.
No.
Some families arrive with evaluations, IEPs, or other reports. Others are simply trying to decide whether an evaluation would even be helpful.
We'll start with where you are and determine what information, if any, might be helpful moving forward.
Do I need evaluations before we meet?
That depends on your child's age, goals, and comfort level.
Many families choose to meet with me first before involving their child. If including your child would be beneficial, we can discuss that together.
Should my child attend the session?
Yes. I am happy to share my experience and help you think through the options available to your family.
While I have homeschooled my own children, worked as a school counselor, and have experience supporting many Florida homeschool families, I am not a curriculum specialist or a resource directory. I don't guarantee that a particular curriculum, therapist, tutor, or provider will be the right fit for your child.
What I can do is help you narrow the options, explain the pros and cons of different approaches, share resources that may be worth exploring, and point you in the right direction based on your child's strengths, needs, and your family's goals.
My goal is to help you make thoughtful, informed decisions with greater confidence.
Can you recommend curriculum, therapists, tutors, or other providers?
No.
Every child is different, and every family has different values, priorities, and goals.
My role is to help you understand your options, think through decisions, and build a plan that fits your family—not someone else's.
Do you tell families what they should do?
What should I bring to our session?
Bring whatever you have—and don't worry if that's not much.
Helpful items might include:
Evaluation reports
Previous testing or assessments
IEP or 504 plans (if applicable)
Curriculum you're considering
Questions you've been collecting
A list of your child's strengths and challenges
If all you bring is a notebook and a head full of questions, that's enough.
Why Families Choose Sage Synergy
Because sometimes you don't need more information. You need someone to help you make sense of it.
Families often come to me after spending hours researching curriculum, scrolling Facebook groups, watching YouTube videos, or asking for recommendations online.
While those resources can be incredibly helpful, they don't know your child. They don't know your family's values. They don't know your child's strengths, challenges, personality, sensory needs, or learning style.
That's where a Choice Navigator can make a difference.
When we work together, you'll receive guidance from someone who is:
✓ An approved Step Up for Students Choice Navigator
✓ A Licensed Mental Health Counselor
✓ A former School Guidance Counselor
✓ A homeschool mom who has navigated many of these same decisions
✓ Neurodivergent-affirming and strengths-based
✓ Focused on helping families build confidence rather than dependence
Together, we'll organize the information, ask thoughtful questions, and focus on the options that make the most sense for your child, your family, and your goals.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
Whether you're just getting started, feeling overwhelmed by choices, or simply looking for someone to help you think through your options, you don't have to figure it all out alone.
A Choice Navigator session is a chance to slow down, ask questions, organize your thoughts, and leave with practical next steps that fit your child, your family, and your goals.
You don't need to have everything organized before we meet.
You don't need to know all the answers.
You simply need a place to start.
Schedule a free consultation to see if Choice Navigator services are the right fit for your family.