{"id":11783,"date":"2017-08-25T13:30:18","date_gmt":"2017-08-25T18:30:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/%year%\/%monthnum%\/%day%\/most-americans-say-k-12-schools-have-a-lot-of-responsibility-in-workforce-preparation\/"},"modified":"2024-04-14T03:16:04","modified_gmt":"2024-04-14T08:16:04","slug":"most-americans-say-k-12-schools-have-a-lot-of-responsibility-in-workforce-preparation","status":"publish","type":"short-read","link":"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2017\/08\/25\/most-americans-say-k-12-schools-have-a-lot-of-responsibility-in-workforce-preparation\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Americans say K-12 schools have a lot of responsibility in workforce preparation"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As millions of U.S. students start school, and economists and educators grapple with how best to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2017\/06\/15\/business\/economy\/trump-job-training-skills-gap.html\">prepare workers for jobs<\/a> in today\u2019s economy, there is evidence that a majority of Americans look to elementary and secondary schools to provide the building blocks people need for a successful career.<\/p>\n\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/assets.pewresearch.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/3\/2016\/09\/ST_2016.10.06_Jobs-09.png\" width=\"420\" height=\"542\"><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Six-in-ten adults say the public K-12 education system has a lot of responsibility in making sure the U.S. workforce has the right skills and education to be successful in today\u2019s economy, according to a <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/social-trends\/2016\/10\/06\/the-state-of-american-jobs\/\">Pew Research Center survey<\/a> conducted\u00a0<span class=\"s1\">in association with the Markle Foundation\u00a0<\/span>in 2016. The only entity or institution that more people say has a lot of responsibility is \u201cindividuals themselves,\u201d cited by 72% of adults.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Americans express a bit more ambivalence toward the role of colleges and universities in workforce preparation, with around half of adults (52%) saying these\u00a0<span class=\"s1\">higher-education institutions should have a lot of responsibility in making sure workers have the right skills and education to succeed.\u00a0<\/span>About half (49%) say employers should have a lot of responsibility in this role, but people are less likely to assign a lot of responsibility to state (40%) and federal governments (35%).<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><!--more--><\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Views on who is responsible for workforce preparation vary by party. Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents are more likely than Republicans and Republican leaners to attribute a lot of responsibility to K-12 schools (66% vs. 54%), and this holds true for colleges and universities (58% vs. 44%). But Republicans and Republican leaners (77%) are more likely than Democrats and Democratic leaners (70%) to ascribe a lot of responsibility to individuals.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Racial and ethnic minorities are also more likely than whites to assign schools a lot of responsibility. A majority of Hispanics (63%) say colleges and universities have a lot of responsibility in workforce preparation, compared with around half of whites (49%). And around two-thirds of blacks (65%) and Hispanics (66%) assign a lot of responsibility to K-12 schools, versus 57% of whites.<\/p>\n\n<figure><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/07\/FT_17.07.20_CollegesIn2016.png\" width=\"310\" height=\"325\"><\/figure>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Although the public is somewhat ambivalent on whether colleges and universities are <em>responsible<\/em> for preparing the American workforce, a majority (67%) say a four-year degree prepares someone at least somewhat well for a well-paying job in today\u2019s economy. Democrats and Democratic leaners were more likely than Republicans and GOP leaners to say this (73% vs. 62%) in the 2016 survey, though <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2017\/07\/20\/republicans-skeptical-of-colleges-impact-on-u-s-but-most-see-benefits-for-workforce-preparation\/\">Republican views<\/a> on how colleges and universities affect the country have changed dramatically over the past two years.<\/p>\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vast majorities of those who graduated with a four-year degree say their education was at least somewhat useful in providing skills for the workplace, job opportunities and personal growth. Yet views on what the main <a href=\"https:\/\/beta.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/short-reads\/2017\/07\/20\/republicans-skeptical-of-colleges-impact-on-u-s-but-most-see-benefits-for-workforce-preparation\/\">purpose of college<\/a> should be also vary by party. About six-in-ten Republicans and Republican leaners (58%) say college should be for teaching specific skills and knowledge that can be used in the workplace. Democrats and Democratic leaners, on the other hand, are split: 42% say the main purpose of college should be to help an individual grow personally and intellectually, while 43% say it should be to teach specific skills.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Many Americans look to elementary and secondary schools to provide the building blocks people need for a successful 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