Posted on 06/08/2026 4:33:29 AM PDT by MtnClimber
The empty desks appearing across Colorado today are the delayed consequence of decisions made years ago by politicians, educators, and cultural elites.
Colorado colleges are bracing for what education experts call an “enrollment cliff.” Fewer high school graduates mean fewer college applicants, shrinking tuition revenue, budget cuts, mergers, and even campus closures.
The same phenomenon is unfolding nationwide. After years of warnings, the demographic reckoning has arrived.
According to recent Colorado education data, public school enrollment fell by more than 10,000 students this year, the state’s largest decline since the pandemic.
State officials point to a simple explanation: there are fewer children. Birth rates have been declining for years, and those missing children are now becoming missing students.
Many analysts trace the problem to the 2008 financial crisis. As economic uncertainty grew, Americans postponed marriage, delayed having children, or chose to have fewer children altogether. Eighteen years later, right on schedule, colleges are seeing the predictable consequences.
That explanation is correct, but incomplete.
The enrollment cliff itself was largely set in motion nearly two decades ago.
But instead of addressing the underlying causes of declining family formation, policymakers have spent the last twenty years making them worse.
Colorado provides a revealing case study.
In 2008, the median Denver-area home price was about a third of what it is today, $225,000 then and $610,000 today.
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
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“ 10,000 is nothing. Colorado has 900,000 K-12 students.”
You’re correct in whole numbers. What’s significant is this is the end of year over year growth and the beginning of the decline.
Only if you assume that CO is telling the truth about the headcount.
I wouldn't.
See my reply #22.
Subsidizing illegal alien criminal invaders is expensive.
Per AI on the state that’s still desirable but increasingly expensive...
“2026. 6,030,000+ Population plateaus slightly with more domestic out-migration”
Reads to me like CO is about to enter the doom loop.
“Marriage and birth rates will magically improve.”
I disagree. I find this description more accurate.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ys7YqzE95LE
I am in southern NH.
There was a recent article here in Nashua about how school enrollment is down in the town.
This is happening across the country/world. Less babies = less kids in school.
However, the charter school down the street has to do a lottery and test system because so many want to send their child there. It is called the Academy of Science & Design.
It opened about six years ago. Rents space in a commercial building. It has had to move to a larger space twice since opening.
There are no major sports programs at this charter school. They do have track and field. I am not even sure they have a gymnasium. They certainly do not have a lighted football stadium or multiple baseball fields or any of the other EXPENSIVE sports.
There is a line of cars to drop children off at this school every morning. Lots of Teslas/BMWs/Mercedes/Lexus and other high end vehicles.
That is because you have to be smart to attend this school.
You have to pass a test to get in. Then it is free IF you are a NH resident. Yet, bussing is only provided if you live in the city of Nashua. So, lots of surrounding town residents are attending. Even some driving up from MA. They do allow a few kids from MA.
This school has become the number one rated middle/high school in the state. So much so that people are pulling their kids out of private schools to go there.
Lastly, based on my personal views of the people waiting in line to drop off their children I would guess that EVERY ASIAN AMERICAN in the area is sending their kids there.
In Colorado, there are officially 10,367 full-time homeschooled students, according to the latest figures from the Colorado Department of Education. An additional 18,740 students are registered as part-time homeschoolers, as many families utilize public school enrichment and hybrid programs.
I think you should wrote the article. You are very spot on.
“This year there were 141 with 57 per cent Yemeni. ... due to immigration our town has gained about 4,000 people. One Friday evening, while in Wal-Mart, I didn’t hear a single person speak English.”
Population replacement, courtesy of prior administrations.
What a dumb AI generated image. The students on the right are facing away from the whiteboard, looking out the window.
Just remember, you are NOT being replaced!
All of this is true.
To answer his question at the end.
The answer is “no”.
Our government no longer works for what is best for the people.
The “elected” are self serving and work for their own enrichment. They take money to pander to needs of other countries that are not American, but are in line with their personal or ideological agendas over serving America’s needs and interests.
They made this horrible mess and they are too selfish and stupid to try and correct it. Instead they double down as we are circling the drain.
A nation of debt slaves and people living under deserted shopping center overhangs because they cannot find a place to live that they can afford, is what we have become.
Nothing to be proud of with that.
The local high schools here in Frisco are mostly South Asian.
Contrary to what you might thing from the Karmelo Anthony trial, there aren’t that many blacks here at all.
The cost/pupil in all states continues to go up to astronomical amounts. Yet, the last thing the Liberals want to discuss is getting rid of teachers, principals, superintendents OR combining school districts together.
I am in a small town in NH. We share a coop high school with the neighboring town. We have a grammar school grade 1-6. We pay to send our kids to the next door middle school.
The administration costs of these school systems has become even more ridiculous than the amount of teachers. It is not that the teachers salaries are so high. It is that the amount of teachers never decreases. Meanwhile, the enrollment continues to decline. Therefore, the cost per pupil goes up exponentially.
I live in a top tier university town. Developers have been building high rise and large scale apartments non stop since 2008. I guess there is an endless of supply of foreign students that are willing to pay. There are problems with the second tier schools. They don’t have the really big donors and funding from the state can be iffy at times.
Could also be some illegals or foreigners wanting to study here aren’t.
I think it’s good if colleges are less full. Maybe the teachers will get back to teaching instead of just pushing their views? Maybe kids will learn something of real value instead of USA evil and hate Trump?
Could also be some illegals or foreigners wanting to study here aren’t.
I think it’s good if colleges are less full. Maybe the teachers will get back to teaching instead of just pushing their views? Maybe kids will learn something of real value instead of USA evil and hate Trump?
“10,000 is nothing. Colorado has 900,000 K-12 students.”
Half of which should be deported.
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