"Long the neglected stepchildren of American higher education, community colleges have come front-and-center in the eyes of students, policymakers and philanthropists," the Associated Press reports. "For students, that's because of the economy, which is boosting interest in two-year schools as a cheaper starting point for a bachelor's degree. They're also the place for job retraining, with unemployment at a 14-year high of 6.5 percent. A community colleges group estimates enrollment is up about 8 percent this fall. But perhaps more important is the unprecedented attention community colleges are attracting from a range of experts and organizations wrestling with some of education's most intractable problems - namely, low achievement for poor and minority students, and embarrassing college completion rates."