The demographic cliff isn’t the whole story.

Some Colleges Are Defying the Demographic Cliff

Despite years of warnings about a shrinking pool of traditional-age students, several colleges and universities are reporting record enrollment this fall. The University of Oklahoma welcomed 6,437 first-year students and has grown total enrollment 45 percent over six years, while Texas Tech surpassed 45,000 students for the first time. Leaders at growing institutions point to affordability, financial aid and stronger connections between academic programs and workforce opportunities as important pieces of their enrollment strategies. The results don't erase the demographic challenges facing higher education, but they suggest institutions have more influence over their enrollment futures than the demographic cliff narrative sometimes implies.

Key Takeaway: Demographics matter, but affordability, value and responsiveness to student and workforce needs can give institutions powerful levers for enrollment growth.

Colleges Are Redesigning Support Around Students' Lives

Having student services available isn't enough if students can't access them when and where they need them. Colleges are experimenting with more flexible approaches, including supervised play spaces that give student parents time to study, 24/7 virtual mental health support, centralized basic-needs hubs and priority registration for parenting students. At Gwinnett Technical College, about 35 percent of virtual counseling sessions occurred outside traditional campus counseling hours, while nearly 80 percent of parenting students who received priority registration said it helped them align classes with childcare. The common thread is a shift from asking students to navigate institutional structures to designing services around the realities of students' lives.

Quick Insight: The next evolution of student support may be less about adding services and more about removing the barriers that keep students from using the services colleges already provide.

New Federal Proposal Puts Private Colleges' Tax-Exempt Status in the Spotlight

A proposed Treasury Department rule could put private colleges' federal tax-exempt status at risk if they engage in diversity, equity and inclusion practices the federal government determines constitute racial discrimination. The proposal would align the IRS definition of racial discrimination with a 2025 executive order and would represent a significant expansion of the administration's efforts to challenge DEI-related practices beyond admissions. Higher education groups have raised questions about the proposal's scope and the Treasury Department's authority, and public comments will be accepted before a final rule is issued. If enacted, the financial and policy implications for private institutions could be substantial.

Key Insight: Private colleges should follow this proposal closely as institutions evaluate admissions, scholarships, programming and other policies in an increasingly complex federal compliance environment.

Dual Enrollment Failure Data Points to a Bigger Equity Question

New research examining approximately 1.74 million California public high school students found that socioeconomically disadvantaged students were more likely to fail dual enrollment courses across levels of prior academic achievement. Researchers identified a particularly striking "preparation paradox," with disparities persisting even among academically strong students, suggesting that academic ability alone does not explain who struggles in college-level coursework. At the same time, students who failed a dual enrollment course were still more likely to attend college than students who never participated in dual enrollment. The findings raise important questions about whether institutions are pairing expanded access to dual enrollment with the onboarding, academic support and guidance students need once they enter college-level courses.

Takeaway: Expanding dual enrollment is only part of the equation. Colleges and K–12 partners also need to ensure students have the preparation, expectations and support to succeed once they enroll.

Dual Enrollment is Growing: Is Your Support Keeping Up?

Expanding access is only the beginning. Help dual enrollment students arrive ready for college expectations and give faculty the tools to support them without lowering academic standards.

Explore Innovative Educators' dual enrollment resources for student orientation, academic success, family engagement, and faculty training.

Published: September 3, 2026