The concept of "competency mapping" emerged from a study of the state-of-the-art of adult education needs assessment to provide the basis for development of a model for states to adopt or adapt to fulfill requirements of the 1978 amendments to the Adult Education Act. Need was defined as a lack of functional competency and those problems encountered by adults who want to finish high school but have been unable to do so. It was further determined that functional competency at the Adult Performance Level (APL) 1 was predictable with efficiency by combining data on adult functional competency level and on certain demographic characteristics available through the United States Census Public Use Tapes. Numbers of persons in the APL 1 population could be predicted on a state-by-state, county-by-county, or Standard Metropolitan Statistical area basis. The competency maps developed would identify with reasonable accuracy specific need areas within each state where indepth problem-specific needs assessments could then follow. Discrepancies between predicted needs and areas where funds had been allocated and spent could be identified using a disbursement pattern for Federal funds. Data errors and subjective factors idiosyncratic to a state or region appeared to be inadequacies of competency mapping. (YLB)