The purpose of this journal-format dissertation was to investigate the condition of community college policy at the state-level as well as the effects of state-level policies on community college institutions and students. Three separate studies were conducted in this dissertation. Study 1 entailed a systematic literature review centered on uncovering themes within the existing research literature on state-level community college policy. The effects of political associations, demographic shifts, and economic factors on state community college appropriations were observed in Study 2. In Study 3, the effects of public investment on the outputs of Texas community colleges were examined.

These three studies have resulted in new contributions in the area of state-level community college policy. The contributions of the systematic literature review in Study 1 delineated the influence of governance, funding, and economics on community college policy at the state level through the analysis of available research literature. The determination that changes in state community college appropriations are more likely affected by economic factors than by political associations or population growth resulted from the analysis conducted in Study 2. The analyses conducted in Study 3 resulted in the conclusion that state appropriations and ad valorem property taxes affect graduation rates and persistence rates of Texas community colleges in different ways.