The CASAS Competencies identify more than 360 essential life skills that youth and adults need to be functionally competent members of their community, their family, and the workforce. Competencies are relevant across the full range of instructional levels, from beginning literacy through high school completion including transition to postsecondary education and training. The nine areas covered include: (1) Basic Communication; (2) Community Resources; (3) Consumer Economics; (4) Health; (5) Employment; (6) Government and Law; (7) Math; (8) Learning and Thinking Skills; and (9) Independent Living. The competencies provide instructional objectives for curriculum, direct links to test content for monitoring student learning, criteria for program evaluation, and a referencing system for instructional materials. [The Competencies along with the CASAS Content Standards form the basis of the CASAS integrated assessment and curriculum management system. For "Aligning CASAS Competencies and Assessments to Basic Skills Content Standards. Second Edition," Content Standards for reading and listening, see ED505237. For "Math: Basic Skills Content Standards," Content Standards for math, see ED505272.]