Cambridge Superintendent of Schools Alflorence Cheatham met with representatives from several Harvard-Radcliffe student organizations last night to ask for their help in taking a city-wide census of educational needs.

The primary purpose of the survey is to comply with a state law passed in May that requires Massachusetts school systems to provide bilingual educational programs for students who do not speak English, Cheatham said yesterday.

Members of the Crimson Key, Radcliffe Union of Students, Harvard-Radcliffe Christian Fellowship, Harvard Ecology Action and other groups heard Cheatham appeal for volunteers to take the census forms door-to-door among the city's 38,000 household units.

Barbara W. Lass, director of Harvard Upward Bound, said last night that the survey would be invaluable in planning for school facilities and pre-school and adult educational programs.