I'll answer my own questions separately.
1/ What share of liberal arts university grads actually meet these criteria? That would speak to the effectiveness of the current system of general PSE education.
From personal experience, at the undergraduate level, less than one quarter. At the graduate level, a ceiling of half.
2/ To what extent are these skills currently fostered in publicly-funded K-12 education? PISA scores give us some clue as to current PSE readiness, if we want to use that as a proxy for potential for adult level mastery, blunt measure that it is.
If we're using PISA level 5 and 6 standards, the answer is "not very well". The world's top scoring countries are only achieving level 4 scores, and most high-income countries' scores are in the level 3 range.
See the 2018 PISA scores for yourselves (summary):
https://www.oecd.org/pisa/PISA-results_ENGLISH.pngPISA levels definitions:
https://www.oecd.org/pisa/aboutpisa/PISA%20scales%20for%20pisa-based%20test%20for%20schools.pdfMid-length 2018 PISA interpretation report - see pp.5-8 for country-specific scores on levels:
https://www.oecd.org/pisa/PISA%202018%20Insights%20and%20Interpretations%20FINAL%20PDF.pdfFull 2018 PISA score interpretation guide:
https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/sites...80670e&itemIGO=oecd&itemContentType=book3/ How could programming be amended in K-12 to enhance student acquisition of these skills?
Explicit, evidence-based instruction in logic, rhetoric, and critical analysis of information throughout K-12. I'd also like to see more extensive instruction in statistics and data analysis be made mandatory throughout high school.
Obviously the former relies on sound literacy teaching in the early years. And this latter piece would stand on the shoulders of stronger basic math instruction, which I've spoken about at length in other posts (e.g. Singapore methods, math specialist teachers, additional supports and tutoring for students falling behind, and acceleration opportunities for students capable of more.)
Other posters will, I'm sure, have more information about specific programming options, which I'm eager to learn about.
