About the Founder

Steward Your Education was founded by Annie Palmer. Annie is a former 20-year public school educator and consultant. After being in the classroom for 10 years, she served in leadership roles in curriculum and instruction, including a reading interventionist, instructional coach and district ELA coordinator. In addition to her full-time job she traveled around the state of Missouri consulting with public school districts as they developed curriculum and instruction. She currently homeschools her two children and is a strong advocate for parent choice and educational alternatives. She brings a unique perspective of someone who was in the traditional system for 20 years and stepped out as she saw a system that no longer served students and families well.

Annie is a listener, an encourager, a passionate advocate and someone who is willing to question with boldness. She believes families should be at the center of the educational conversation, not a school system that was designed for a world that no longer exists.

What We Believe

At Steward Your Education, we believe every family should feel empowered to steward their child’s learning. Parents know their children best, and they are uniquely equipped to make decisions about the educational environment in which their child can thrive. Education works best when families and students take ownership—not when they simply follow the status quo or what “has always been done.”

We believe that each family’s values and priorities should guide these decisions. There is no “one-size-fits-all” approach to education or to the life your family hopes to build. By exploring educational options, both students and families can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally—balancing learning with health, relationships, and family life.

We believe the current education system needs to be reimagined. Rigid schedules, compliance-focused systems, standardized assessments, and lack of real-world relevance have left many students disengaged, anxious, or unprepared for life beyond school. Students are not the problem. The system is—and it’s up to us to change it.

To be truly educated today means more than memorizing content. It means developing agency, critical thinking, flexible problem-solving skills, and the ability to reflect on your own learning. It means mastering foundational knowledge while also preparing for the complex realities of adult life—personal finance, civic responsibility, and the ability to analyze information and make thoughtful decisions.

We believe educators deserve better. Many teachers feel constrained by the traditional system, unable to use their full gifts. We believe there are educational settings where teachers can thrive while empowering students to do the same.

Finally, we believe in the power of bold questioning. We have to be willing to question the system and what it means to be educated.

Simply put, we believe kids, families, and educators deserve more than the traditional system allows. We are here to provide resources, guidance, and a community that inspires possibility—and the courage to reimagine what education can be.

There are over 60,000 homeschool students in Missouri. Microschools are being founded across Missouri, including some in the Kansas City area. There are co-ops, and hybrid models available. There are online platforms that are self-paced and personalized. There are options. You’re not alone in this journey! Let us walk with you.