Colorado public schools are experiencing sustained enrollment declines (Denver less than many other districts), and that’s reshaping everything — school funding, staffing, program offerings, district politics, and debates over school choice. This is more than a demographic story; it’s a governance and values story.
Today we are joined by Brian Eschacher to unpack enrollment trends, how school choice fits into the picture, and what districts and policy makers should be paying attention to next.
Eschbacher leads the Education Data Collective (EDC), a technology and consulting firm focused on supporting education leaders with long-term enrollment planning. After starting his career in the private sector in management consulting, he has worked in education for 14 years. He spent seven years at Denver Public Schools as the Executive Director of Planning and School Choice, and for the last seven years he has consulted a range of urban school districts, funders, and charter organizations on the intersection of demography and school choice.
Eschbacher lives in Denver where his two children attend DPS.
