Some social issues and dilemmas contributing to the need to improve our educational system are: (1) changing meanings of work, (2) changing structure and composition of the labor force, (3) problems associated with institutional dropouts, (4) problems associated with separating students into college-bound and employment-bound curriculums, (5) the information deficit dilemma, and (6) special needs of minority and disadvantaged populations. Career education has the potential for unifying the curriculum, better meeting individual and societal needs, and dealing with some of these social, psychological, and economic issues. For the past several years, a group of researchers and graduate students at the University of Minnesota have been conceptualizing a K-12 career development curriculum to facilitate self-development. In the curriculum, which is based on the life stages of Super's career development theory and the developmental tasks associated with those stages, career development is viewed as a process, a part of human development that occurs whether we do anything about it or not. Career education is seen as the teaching and counseling interventions which facilitate that development. Major dimensions of the curriculum and a listing of developmental tasks for various grade levels are included. (SB)