Colorado’s Empty Classrooms Are a Warning for America

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...