Meet Elizabeth Stewart, Owner
I’m Elizabeth Stewart, a Florida‑certified educator and homeschool evaluator specializing in supporting diverse learners and families navigating learning differences. I live in Pinellas County and am able to offer virtual services statewide. After 16 years in education—and six years as an ESE case manager and special education consultant in Pinellas County Schools—I launched Sunshine Scholars Connection to provide clear, supportive, and individualized guidance for learners in any setting and their families—especially those navigating learning differences and ESE needs.
I hold Florida Professional Educator licensure in K–12 Exceptional Student Education, K–12 ESOL, K–6 Elementary Education, and the Reading Endorsement. These certifications shape the way I approach homeschool evaluations: with a deep understanding of learning profiles, developmental needs, and evidence‑based instructional practices.
As a special education teacher, I often carried fully developed ideas for meaningful, individualized support that I unfortunately was not able to implement. I could see exactly what a student needed — a scaffolded mini‑lesson, a targeted reteach, a visual support, a hands‑on practice activity — and I would map out the perfect materials and methods to help them access the content. But the reality was new standards were introduced every single day in accelerated‑paced courses and each subject was limited to a 45-minute block. My secondary students were playing catch‑up day-by-day, before I could even begin.
The pace left no room for the repetition, reinforcement, or strategic intervention that students with learning disabilities rely on. Instead of being able to pause and strengthen a foundational skill, I was constantly helping students keep their heads above water as the curriculum rushed forward. Even when I knew exactly how to support a student’s learning profile, the time required to deliver that support simply didn’t exist within the structure we were given. This was not always the case in elementary-aged classrooms, there was more time for the special education needed, however I’ll leave that story for another day.
This was one of the hardest parts of the job: knowing what would help a student thrive yet watching them struggle because the environment didn’t allow for the individualized instruction they deserved. It wasn’t a lack of skill, effort, or creativity — it was the pace. And in accelerated courses, that pace often worked directly against the needs of the very students I was there to support. It broke my heart every day.
Experiences like these are what ultimately shaped my commitment to individualized learning. They showed me how powerful targeted instruction can be, and how deeply students benefit when we use the time and method that matches their needs. Allowing for mastery of concepts and content before moving on to the next is essential during any individual learning journey.
Today, my work centers on Florida homeschool evaluations, learning‑difference consulting, individualized lesson plans, homeschool IEP development, and parent coaching. I blend my background in special education with a calm, parent‑friendly approach so families feel confident, informed, and supported throughout their child’s learning, in any setting; while honoring each child’s strengths and unique learning journey.
At Sunshine Scholars Connection, my mission is simple: to support learners of all backgrounds and settings, to make homeschool documentation, planning, and support feel clear, personalized, and stress‑free—so your child can shine. Alongside evaluation and consulting, I’m also a children’s book author, just another outlet to my creativity.
