Across Colorado, enrollments in public schools are up by 1.3 percent, or almost 11,000 students, helping the state hit a record number (843,316), notes 9News. The figures were reported on the same day that newly minted Governor John Hickenlooper signed a mandate to create the Governor's Education Leadership Council, points out the Colorado Springs Gazette. State lawmakers are already talking about ways to minimize the impact of "inevitable" cuts to state support for education, writes Education News Colorado, which interviews 30 lawmakers, lobbyists, and executive branch officials to predict the introduction of many bills and initiatives, including one that could reduce state mandates on school districts, freeing up budgets.

As for college students, they're taking matters into their own hands and essentially imposing major fee increases on themselves, along with tuition hikes, to improve their institutions, reports The Denver Post. Meanwhile, The New York Times takes a look at the students from Vail Ski and Snowboard Academy, who come from around the country to attend what is considered the only public winter sports school in the nation. One student was a Winter Olympian last year, and another two are on the U.S. ski team.