A rationale is offered for including life skills in curricula for students with special needs. Life skills are defined as encompassing daily living, personal/social, and occupational skills. Daily living skills include: managing personal finances, selecting and managing a household, caring for personal needs, safety awareness, preparing and consuming food, buying and caring for clothing, exhibiting responsible citizenship, using recreational facilities and engaging in leisure activities, and getting around the community. Personal/social skills encompass: achieving self-awareness, acquiring self-confidence, achieving socially responsible behavior, maintaining good interpersonal skills, achieving independence, achieving problem-solving skills, and communicating with others. Occupational skills focus on: knowing and exploring occupational options; selecting and planning occupational choices; exhibiting appropriate work habits and behavior; seeking, securing, and maintaining employment; exhibiting sufficient physical and manual skills; and obtaining specific occupational skills. Schools can require that each student with learning problems achieve these life skills prior to graduation. Three references and five suggested readings are listed. (JDD)