Community College Baccalaureate Degree Playbook
A playbook providing a research-grounded, action-oriented set of considerations and recommendations to planning and implementing community college baccalaureate degrees.
PEERS
Postsecondary Education and Employment Research Projects
Through collaborative research projects with community colleges, state higher education agencies, colleges and universities, and others, Postsecondary Education and Employment Research Projects (PEERs) centers its work on generating knowledge to create focused, organized, and persistent initiatives that can create equitable solutions to today’s education and workforce challenges.
Through a range of methodological approaches, the projects we take on seek to identify and address inequities that hinder American higher education from delivering on its promise to students and center community colleges as engines for opportunity and workforce development.
Research Projects
Postsecondary Education in Washington
Partnering with the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges, community colleges, and others, to research innovative approaches to meaningful education credentials.
Data for Decision Making in Career and Technical Education
Incorporating data-informed processes in advanced technological education pathways and programs.
Community College Bachelor’s Degree Research
High-quality research, and research-to-practice information on the scale, implementation, and outcomes of bachelor’s degrees offered by community colleges nationwide.
Publications
Scholarly works published by our team are posted here as well as on the corresponding research project webpage. All of our reports, briefs, conference papers, academic publications and scholarly papers are externally reviewed by at least one peer reviewer who is a scholar in the field of expertise associated with the publication.
- Meza, E., & Vo, D. (2026). Pathways into community college baccalaureate degrees in Washington. Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; University of Washington, Evans School of Public Policy & Governance.
- Vo, D., & Meza, E. (2026). Completing the degree makes a difference: Evidence on labor market returns to community college bachelor’s programs. Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges; University of Washington, Evans School of Public Policy & Governance.
- Meza E, Espino ML. (2026) Beyond Financial Aid: Relational and Cultural Supports as Systemic Drivers of STEM Success for Community College Students. Education Sciences. 2026; 16(4):557.
- Espino, M. L., & Meza, E. (2026). Community college S-STEM programs: A systematic literature review. Community College S-STEM Network (CCSN), Education and Employment Research Center, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey.
- Meza, Elizabeth. (2025). Affordable Bachelor’s Degrees are Available at Community Colleges – Depending on Where You Live.
- Bragg, Debra, D. (2025). Labels Matter: Reframing and Valuing Non-Traditional Adult Learners in Community College. Office of Community College Research and Leadership, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
- Meza, E., Espino, M., & Bragg, D. (2025). Retention of Academically Talented STEM Scholarship Recipients in Community College. Journal of Higher Education Theory and Practice, 25(2).
- Bragg, D. D. (2025). What it takes to get community college bachelor’s degree programs approved. Seattle, WA: University of Washington.
- Meza, E., Pawlicki, C. (2025). Washington’s Community College Baccalaureate Degrees: Growth and Outcomes, 2024 Update. University of Washington
- Meza, E. (2024). Community College Bachelor’s Degrees in Washington State: An Update on Enrollment, Completion, and Labor Market Outcomes. New America
- Love, I., Meza, E.A., & Nzau, S., (2024). Community College Bachelor’s Degrees in Texas: A First Look at Enrollment and Outcomes. New America
- Bragg, D., Pawlicki, C., (2024). Considerations for Scaling Up Quality Community College Baccalaureate Degrees
- Community College Baccalaureate Association Bragg & Associates, Inc., (2024). Watch Them Grow: The Evolution of Community College Baccalaureate Degrees in the United States
Meza, E.A., & Love, I., (2023). When community colleges offer a bachelor’s degree. New America
- Meza, E. A., & Bragg, D. D. (2022). Scaling up community college baccalaureates in Washington State: Labor market outcomes and equity implications for higher education. Education Policy Analysis Archives, 30, 140-140.
- Wetzstein, L., Meza, E., Bragg, D. (2022) Evaluating the Student Experience at Community College Baccalaureate Programs. New America.
- Meza, E.A., & Love, I. (2022). Community College Baccalaureate Strategies as an Equity Strategy: Student Access and Outcomes Data. New America.
- Bragg, D. D., Meza, E. A., & Soler, M. C. (2021). Community colleges and broad access colleges/universities as antagonists and allies in conferring baccalaureate degrees. Unlocking opportunity through broadly accessible institutions (pp. 97-115). Routledge.
- Meza, E.A., Blume, G., Balhan, K., Hang, K., Rubin, Z., Zumeta, W., Bragg, D., (2021). The landscape of career and technical education faculty data use for decision-making and program improvement in National Science Foundation – Advanced Technical Education programs in Washington State. Career and Technical Education Research. 46(2), 42-58.
Meza, E.A., & Blume, G. (2020). Exploring How Institutional Partners Vary in Outcomes for Transfer Students of Color. New Directions for Community Colleges. Volume 192, 37-44.
Peer Review Statement
The Evans School of Public Policy & Governance Postsecondary Education and Employment Research Projects (PEERs) at the University of Washington uses internal and external peer review before publishing and posting our research. The peer review process includes at least one internal team member and at least one external reviewer who is a scholar in the field of expertise associated with the publication. The acknowledgment section of each publication lists these contributors.
News and Updates
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Research
Spotlight on Bachelor’s Degree Affordability
Elizabeth Meza recently published a commentary in Community College Daily on her research around tuition and fees comparisons between bachelor’s degrees offered…
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Research
Public Investments in Community College Baccalaureate Degrees
In recent years, the landscape of higher education has witnessed a significant shift, marked by the proliferation of Community College Baccalaureate (CCB)…
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Research
Community Colleges and Policy: Elizabeth Meza, Research Scientist
Elizabeth Meza joined the Evans School as a Senior Research Scientist with expertise in workforce development, career and technical education, and community…
Researchers
President of Bragg and Associates, Inc.
Senior Research Scientist
Research Scientist
Research Affiliate