He'll consult with several school officials and then tell them which of his three projections is most likely. But the most important piece is birth rates, he said. That is one reason why he doesn't think Lansing's enrollment will increase soon. He said it will continue to decline, but at a slower rate than in the past. Ignatovich said Ingham County's 3,659 births in 2000 were the lowest since he has kept track back to 1955.
Fewer births mean fewer potential students, which translates into less money for the schools.
But no one can say with 100 percent assurance what they say will come true. Visit our message board. Click here . Follow this story in the Lansing State Journal . Click here to subscribe.