Mountain State Libertycast – EP 84: Katie Switzer – School Choice

Podcast: Mountain State Libertycast
Host: Ty Ward (Libertarian Party of West Virginia)
Guest: Katie Switzer (School Choice Advocate)
Date: March 25, 2026

Episode Overview

In episode 84, host Ty Ward sits down with school choice advocate and parent Katie Switzer to break down the past, present, and politics of school choice in West Virginia. From her personal journey navigating special education for her children to the real impact of the HOPE Scholarship program and charter schools, Katie provides a detailed, candid account of education reform in the state, demystifying funding myths and pushing back on common critiques. The conversation blends on-the-ground experience with policy insight through a distinctly Libertarian lens.

Main Topics and Key Discussion Points

1. Katie’s Background and Journey to School Choice

(00:37 – 09:11)

• Katie moved to West Virginia a decade ago, now mother of five, with firsthand experience in early intervention (Birth to Three) due to her daughter’s apraxia.
• Describes first exposure to school choice issues after a “shocking” and “abrasive” encounter with a local school’s special needs coordinator:

  “She was just very abrasive... It really bothered me because… this is my daughter.” (B, 03:07)

• Attended a charter school info session, which turned out to be a heated political rally dominated by union-aligned teachers expressing concern for their jobs, not students.
• Katie’s takeaway: the politics of school choice in WV are deeply contentious and adult interests often overshadow children’s needs.

2. Teachers’ Unions, Strikes, and West Virginia Politics

(09:12 – 23:06)

• Ty and Katie reflect on the outsized influence of teachers’ unions and the infamous “55 Strong” teacher strike.
• Debate on whether unions prioritize benefits for teachers versus organizational self-preservation:

  “The union doesn't seem to advocate for the teachers. It really just seems to advocate for the union… their focus seems to be primarily on quantity of jobs and not the quality of the jobs for the teachers.” (B, 11:51)

• Ty highlights legislative attempts to limit union perks (like pension calculations and automatic dues deductions), which unions strongly resisted.
• Discussion of political backgrounds and shifting party lines in West Virginia, where union-Democrat ties run deep.

3. The Creation and Role of the HOPE Scholarship

(21:59 – 33:43)

• Katie traces the roots: HOPE and charter school legislation first seriously proposed around 2019, originally within a massive “Education Reform Act.”
• Katie involved early via Cardinal Institute, advocating for school choice due to the lack of specialized services (apraxia therapy) in public schools:

  “How are we going to afford the speech therapist? Because at the time, there was only one in the entire state… and she didn’t take insurance.” (B, 24:50)

• The Hope Scholarship provided a solution for families whose children’s educational needs weren't met by public schools or who needed financial help with private services.
• Katie notes strong, consistent opposition to school choice from certain interest groups, rarely focusing on student outcomes.

4. Literacy, Curriculum, and Assessment Reform in West Virginia

(33:43 – 44:07)

• Examination of the 2023 Third Grade Literacy Act, modeled after successful reforms in Mississippi, but Katie critiques lack of system-wide follow-through:

  “They're really good at spending a bunch of money on, let's identify the problem, and then they don't execute on the back end...” (B, 36:46)

• Ty expresses frustration that basic educational missions like literacy now require legislation.
• Discussion about curriculum rigidity and standardization, noting that excessive bureaucracy often hampers teachers' freedom to teach as they see fit.

5. Testing, Graduation Rates, and Public School Outcomes

(44:07 – 49:56)

• Katie and Ty analyze statewide summative assessments and the disconnect between high graduation rates and low literacy/numeracy rates:

  “We have the lowest reading and math comprehension scores and some of the highest graduation rates in the country.” (B, 44:57)

• Candid stories about their own educational experiences – gaps in learning times tables, etc.
• Acknowledgment that West Virginia’s Constitution requires “free and efficient” public schools—but current outcomes fall short.

6. Financial Facts and Myths about HOPE and Public School Funding

(49:56 – 67:41)

• Katie delivers an in-depth, step-by-step explanation of school funding formulas and how the HOPE Scholarship interacts with (or, contrary to narrative, does not “steal” from) public schools:

  “When a child opts into HOPE, they start getting money out of a separate pool... It’s like saying we couldn’t afford to put every child in West Virginia in a public school...” (B, 55:47)

• Key facts:
  • HOPE is funded from the “state aid” (step 10) portion, not local property taxes or federal aid.
  • Public schools do not lose all funding when a kid exits for HOPE; most local/federal funding remains due to how formulas allocate per-pupil money.
  • School mismanagement and declining enrollment—not HOPE—drive recent budget shortfalls and closures.
• Example: Roane County’s fiscal issues long predate HOPE and are orders of magnitude larger than the impact of a few dozen HOPE students.

7. Private School Costs, Special Needs, and Future Reform

(67:41 – 74:32)

• Katie points out that most private schools in WV charge far less per student than public schools spend.
• Public schools also under-serve special needs students:

  “You guys are not serving these public school... special needs kids.” (B, 72:11)

• Personal advocacy for using special needs funding directly for classroom interventions, not for general budget padding.
• The need for more transparency in how both public and private school outcomes are measured.

Notable Quotes and Moments

• On Union Priorities:
  “...why are they so supportive of this union that is, like, not good. I. I go. I don't know. Maybe you know the answer, Ty. But I'd love to hear a teacher who would tell me why they think it’s so great. Because I don't see it from the outside looking in.” (B, 11:51)

• On Education Reform:
  “It really just seems to advocate for the union… their focus seems to be primarily on quantity of jobs and not the quality of the jobs for the teachers.” (B, 11:51)

• On Special Needs and Bureaucracy:
  “Our Birth to Three team... told me, like, that's not going to happen. They don't have apraxia specialists in school... I get that. I do. It makes sense what they told me. I'm not criticizing the schools for that...” (B, 27:45)

• On Legislation and Execution:
  “They're just really good at spending a bunch of money on, let's identify the problem, and then they don’t execute on the back end.” (B, 36:46)

• On HOPE Myths:
  “When a child opts into hope, they start getting money out of a separate pool, which is the HOPE pool. And when people go, Hope is gonna bankrupt everybody… you’re admitting that constitutionally we can’t afford our Constitution because we’re not willing to fund every child in a free and efficient [system].” (B, 55:47)

• On Special Needs Advocacy:
  “Please, please, special needs funding go to special needs kids. That’s how you will get kids like mine back in the school district.” (B, 73:19)

Important Timestamps

• 00:37 – Katie’s backstory and daughter’s early intervention journey
• 05:30 – Encounter with school officials and discovery of charter schools
• 09:12 – Host and Katie discuss teachers, unions, and political opposition
• 21:59 – The HOPE Scholarship origin story and Katie’s advocacy
• 33:43 – Examining literacy and curriculum reform shortcomings
• 44:07 – Performance gaps, graduation rates, and lived experiences
• 49:56 – Katie’s breakdown of school funding and the HOPE myth-busting
• 67:41 – Comparative school costs; the necessity of needs-based budgeting

Resources and Where to Find Katie

• Facebook: Katie Switzer (look for “the worst lobbyist in West Virginia”)
• Hope Schoolers in West Virginia Facebook Group
• Website: storiesofchoice.com [in development; features candidate surveys and voting records related to school choice]

Tone and Takeaways

Candid, detailed, and a bit irreverent, Ty and Katie lay bare the complexity of school choice battles in West Virginia, centering the conversation on families, transparency, and educational outcomes. Listeners walk away with a clearer understanding of how funding really works, what school choice can offer, and why the debates are so heated—and, according to Katie, so overdue.

For questions, feedback, or to connect with the show:

• Email: mountainstatelibertycast@gmail.com
• Web: l wv.org (Libertarian Party of West Virginia)

Closing Motto: “Don’t hurt people, and don’t take their stuff.”