This paper examines the related concepts of civic skills/engagement and life skills across three national contexts—the United States, Sweden, and India. Within the paper, we explore cross-national issues, trends and terminologies of civic skills (and related terms) in curricular policy. We look at differences in content to explore the goals and vision behind civic skill development in these nations. We also look at the locus of civic skill development—in social studies curricula, national goals, and elsewhere. We specifically ask “what kind of people would be created by the policies document? What are the values undergirding the vision for this guiding document?” We conclude by exploring related challenges educational leaders face in the inclusion of civic skills in the purposes of schooling and subsequent curricular policy.