Community colleges are undoubtedly aligned in the most strategic positions to affect social and economic change. Numerous factors are playing a part in the shifts felt throughout higher education today. From the recent economic recession that continues to provide America with more displaced workers, unemployed and underemployed adults to the expanding needs of the workplace, community colleges are in many aspects struggling to keep up with the needs of their communities. Greater legislative emphasis on the success of the adult learner can better position community colleges to fulfill their multiple-missions of academic transfer, remediation, and workforce development. By creating policies that support remediation, including adult learning goals in strategic planning, linking educational services to identified needs, providing financial aid to part-time students, and recognizing that providing access does not necessarily constitute success, states can move forward in reforming education to better support and facilitate economic success. As policy and reform continue to play a major role in why community colleges work, institutions will continue to meet the standards of expectations set by their constituents. This article describes how Kentucky developed programs focusing on adult education, remediation, and workforce development to improve retention and success among the students and to support and facilitate economic success. Only when policy and practice converge do community colleges really work. (Contains 1 table.)