As 77 million children prepare to return to school in the coming weeks, the public says major changes are needed in the way this country’s education system works. Overall, 66% say either the education system in this country needs to be completely rebuilt (21%) or that it needs major changes (45%); only 31% think the system works well enough and only needs minor changes.

The May 2013 Pew Research Center survey found that only immigration policy (75% said it needed at least major changes) and the tax system (72%) were seen as needing more change. an overhaul only the education system (out of the seven policies and systems tested in the survey). More said the education system needed at least major changes than said the same about the Medicare system (58%), the Social Security system (54%) and the Homeland Security system ( 44%); about the same percentage said the health care system needed to be revamped (64%).

The public has long seen opportunities for improvement in the functioning of education in this country. At least six in ten said the education system needed an overhaul when the question was asked in 2005, 2006 and 2011. And dissatisfaction is widely shared: majorities in all major demographic groups say the system education must be reorganized.

Women (73%) are slightly more likely than men (60%) to say the education system needs at least major changes, and more in the North East (79%) think the education system needs an overhaul than those in other parts of the country. .

However, there is no difference in opinion between parents of children under 18 and those without children under 18, and about two-thirds of Republicans (65%), Democrats (67 %) and independents (67%) agree that the education system needs at least major changes.

College graduates (75%) are more likely than those with no college experience (60%) to say the education system needs major changes or a complete rebuild. However, there is a slight difference of opinion among college graduates: 68% of those with a graduate degree say the education system needs at least major changes, compared to 79% of those with no more than a college degree.

Alec Tyson is associate director of research at the Pew Research Center.