A STUDY SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT VOTERS WOULD GIVE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO EDUCATIONAL PROJECTS IF THEY WERE FULLY INFORMED OF NEEDS, AND WHETHER CURRENT COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES WERE ADEQUATE IN EFFECTIVELY INFORMING THE PUBLIC OF SCHOOL NEEDS. SPECIFIC VOTER AND COMMUNITY CHARACTERISTICS WERE EXPLORED AS THEY RELATE TO EDUCATIONAL UNDERSTANDING. SUCH FACTORS AS SOCIOECONOMIC PROBLEMS, ATTITUDINAL AND BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS, COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUES, AND METHODS TO INCREASE LAY PARTICIPATION IN SCHOOL ACTIVITIES WERE INCLUDED. RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED OVER A 3-YEAR PERIOD. THE FOLLOWING SURVEYS WERE MADE--(1) NEARLY 5,000 INTERVIEWS WITH REGISTERED VOTERS IN FIVE CITIES, (2) AN INTERVIEWING OF THE COMPLETE SCHOOL STAFF OF ONE SCHOOL DISTRICT (769 PERSONS), (3) PERSONAL INTERVIEWS WITH SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY LEADERS IN 82 SCHOOL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, AND (4) A MAIL QUESTIONNAIRE SENT TO APPROXIMATELY 1,000 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THE UNITED STATES. SURVEY RESULTS INDICATED A SITUATION IN WHICH THE PUBLIC VIEWS SCHOOLS AS THE PRODUCERS OF A PRODUCT--THE TRAINED CHILD. IT WAS FOUND THAT SCHOOLS MUST FALL SHORT OF COMPLETE SATISFACTION, SOCIETY BEING AS COMPETITIVE AS IT IS AND PARENTS HAVING THE ASPIRATIONS THEY DO. CONCLUSIONS SHOW THAT PERSONS RESPONSIBLE FOR EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS AND LOCAL COMMUNITY LEADERS SHOULD STRIVE FOR GREATER UNDERSTANDING. WAYS TO ACHIEVE THEIR MUTUAL GOALS ARE SUMMARIZED. (JH)