---
title: "Most Americans say K-12 schools have a lot of responsibility in workforce preparation"
description: "Many Americans look to elementary and secondary schools to provide the building blocks people need for a successful career."
date: "2017-08-25"
authors:
  - name: "Kristen Bialik"
    job_title: "Former Research Assistant"
    link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/kristen-bialik/"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/08/25/most-americans-say-k-12-schools-have-a-lot-of-responsibility-in-workforce-preparation/"
categories:
  - "Business & Workplace"
  - "Education"
  - "K-12"
---

# Most Americans say K-12 schools have a lot of responsibility in workforce preparation

As millions of U.S. students start school, and economists and educators grapple with how best to [prepare workers for jobs](https://www.nytimes.com/2017/06/15/business/economy/trump-job-training-skills-gap.html) in today’s 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.

![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/09/ST_2016.10.06_Jobs-09.png)

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’s economy, according to a [Pew Research Center survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2016/10/06/the-state-of-american-jobs/) conducted in association with the Markle Foundation in 2016. The only entity or institution that more people say has a lot of responsibility is “individuals themselves,” cited by 72% of adults.

Americans express a bit more ambivalence toward the role of colleges and universities in workforce preparation, with around half of adults (52%) saying these higher-education institutions should have a lot of responsibility in making sure workers have the right skills and education to succeed. 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%).

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.

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.

![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/FT_17.07.20_CollegesIn2016.png)

Although the public is somewhat ambivalent on whether colleges and universities are *responsible* 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’s economy. Democrats and Democratic leaners were more likely than Republicans and GOP leaners to say this (73% vs. 62%) in the 2016 survey, though [Republican views](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/07/20/republicans-skeptical-of-colleges-impact-on-u-s-but-most-see-benefits-for-workforce-preparation/) on how colleges and universities affect the country have changed dramatically over the past two years.

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 [purpose of college](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2017/07/20/republicans-skeptical-of-colleges-impact-on-u-s-but-most-see-benefits-for-workforce-preparation/) 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.