ABOUT THAT DECLINE. We told you last week about how the University System of Georgia was preparing for a massive decline in high school graduates over the next 16 years. But it turns out Georgia might not have to worry about that so much.

The Southern Regional Education Board projects Georgia’s high school graduates will decline by just 1% by 2041, giving its colleges and universities a much more stable pipeline of students than many other states. This could potentially maintain enrollment and lower the risk of sharp tuition increases.

“Our region needs to think about access to affordable college differently than much of the country,” MJ Kim, a senior analyst with the Southern Regional Education Board, told lawmakers this week. “The affordability question for Georgia is not about shrinking demand, but about ensuring students are well prepared and able to enter college without costs being a major barrier.”

Other parts of the country could be in worse shape. Kim said the West is projected to see a 20% decline in high school graduates, followed by a 16% decline in the Midwest and a 17% drop in the northeast. But the 16 states that make up the Southern Regional Education Board are projected to see high school graduates increase by 3%.