Roe L. Johns and J. Alan Thomas survey the problem of educational need; and Kern Alexander considers the implications of the dimensions of educational need for school financing. Dimensions of need in the following areas are defined: early childhood and basic elementary and secondary education, by William P. McLure; educational programs for exceptional children, by Richard A. Rossmiller, and for the culturally deprived, by Arvid J. Burke; vocational education, by Erick L. Lindman and Edwin L. Kurth; community junior college education, by James L. Wattenbarger; and adult and continuing education, by J. Alan Thomas and William S. Griffith. In addition, Roe L. Johns discusses the extended school year. An abstract of the research design for the National Educational Finance Project is appended. (JD)