In 1988 the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Commission for Educational Quality produced a separate study of trends in population, education, and employment, looking ahead to the year 2000. The SREB Challenge 2000 goals have been the subject of detailed benchmark reports semi-annually since. This year, there are 12 reports in the Educational Benchmarks 2000 series. This paper turns attention back to the trends in discussing the following points: (1) What was thought in 1988 about the trends in the 12 years leading to 2000? (2) What actually happened as predicted and what did not? (3) How can the differences, accomplishments, and continuing challenges be explained? (4) Looking ahead to the year 2010-more of the same or some differences? and (5) Some thoughts for policymakers on thinking differently about goals for the future-What we know we can expect and what is less predictable? The SRE Trends report in 1988 predicted strong population growth-almost 15 percent to more than 92 million for the region by 2000. Population in the South did grow and it grew a lot faster than expected. Public-school enrollment also grew much faster than projected. Public-school enrollment growth is shifting presently from elementary grades to middle and high school grades. However, between 2005 and 2009, the SREB region in fact can expect a very slight decline of 0.3 percent. Only Georgia and Texas are showing any growth in school enrollment. Data are given for projected job growth by level of education required, in the United States between 1998 and 2008. (DFR)