Benjamin Forman, research director MassINC.JPG

Benjamin Forman, research director at MassINC, speaks at Springfield Technical Community College during a recent visit to the city to discuss regional transportation investments. Forman was in Springfield on Monday to to outline a new MassINC initiative that aims to prepare high-need students success in post-secondary education studies and the work force.

(Republican file photo by Dave Roback)

SPRINGFIELD — Citing an urgent need for a college educated workforce in the Bay State, a new coalition formed by Boston-based MassINC is lobbying the Statehouse for a $75 million state budget item to fund innovative programs in high-needs communities such as Springfield.

As they acknowledged the tight state-budget climate, leaders of the newly formed "Building on What Works Coalition" met on Monday with Springfield educators, elected officials and business leaders to outline the initiative and to seek additional coalition members as it prepares to lobby the Legislature for the funding.

"Massachusetts is listed as No.1 in the states with jobs that require a post-secondary education according to a recent study by Georgetown University," said coalition member Linda Noonan, executive director of the Massachusetts Business Alliance for Education.

Noonan said business leaders' calls for raising the educational attainment bar are getting louder.

Ben Forman, research director for Boston-based think-tank MassINC, urged local leaders to make their voices heard in Boston. "Education policy up to this point has been centered in Boston," he said.

In a recent poll of voters conducted by MassINC, 67 percent of Gateway City voters said improving the public education system was a top way to improve the economy. That figure compares with 61 percent of voters who don't live in Gateway Cities.

"Creating a sense of urgency for innovation in education can be a challenge, especially in a state that is already viewed as a national leader," the coalition said, adding that "talking about education as a means for growth may be a way to break through."

Under the initiative, funds would be available to about 62 communities in the commonwealth where more than 50 percent of the students served are "high need." More than 80 percent of the students in Springfield are high-need, local leaders said.

The funds would be available for activities – including expanding access to high-quality early learning programs, expanding learning time available to K-12 students and designing innovative learning systems to deploy educator talent, technology and public resources to help student prepare for post-secondary education.

Noonan said that while additional funding is necessary, it is not sufficient to raise improve the state's educational system. "We need to look at new ways of doing things," she said.

In addition to academic attainment, coalition leaders said children need social and emotional education, explaining that when they join the workforce, they'll be asked to collaborate and work on teams.

Local leaders expressed support for the program, pointing out that more than 80 percent of the students in Springfield are categorized at high need.

Superintendent of Springfield Schools Daniel Warwick and Teachers Union President Timothy Collins, who attended the meeting at the TDBank building said they favored the initiative, but Collins expressed frustration with what he called inadequate and inequitable funding for Springfield since passage of the state's 1993 Education Reform bill.

The state budget has been leaving "Springfield children behind for decades," Collins said. "This year, we're facing $16 million in cuts to our budget," he added.

State Rep. Angelo Puppolo, D-Wilbraham, urged those attending Monday's briefing to begin contacting their representatives to support the $75 million funding request.

"This is going to be a tough budget cycle," Puppolo said. "We're facing a $1.5 billion shortfall."

In order to be successful, Puppolo said the coalition must gain support from legislators who don't represent the older industrial Gateway Cities like Springfield, Holyoke and Worcester. "Hopefully we'll get broader-based support," he said.

The United Way of Pioneer Valley and the Springfield Housing Authority are among local coalition members.

Puppolo said the House will be working on its budget over the next two weeks.

Massachusetts Gateway Cities – Brockton, Fall River, Fitchburg, Haverhill, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, New Bedford, Pittsfield, Springfield and Worcester – were once manufacturing powerhouses. They served as "gateways" to their regional economies, as well as "gateways" to the middle class.