In Brief

America's more than 1,200 community colleges enroll nearly seven million students—about 40 percent of all higher education enrollment in the country. Yet these institutions receive less than one-third the level of federal government educational support as do public four-year colleges. Brookings experts examine the role of community colleges in metropolitan areas and the national economy, their potential contribution to job training and education attainment, and how increased attention to community colleges can promote opportunity and prosperity.