In communities north of Denver, residents are pitching in to help teachers and administrators as the Vrain School District tries to solve a $13.8 million budget shortage blamed on mismanagement. ”We’re worried about our teachers and principals, and we really don’t want to lose them because of this,” one parent sail. “If we can help ease their financial burden, we will. ”
    Teachers are grateful, but know it may be years before the district is solvent (有偿付能力的). They feel really good about the parent support, but they realize it’s impossible for them to solve this problem.
    The 22,000-student district discovered the shortage last month. “It’s extraordinary. Nobody would have imagined something happening like this at this level,” said State Treasurer Mike Coffman.
    Coffman and district officials last week agreed on a state emergency plan freeing up a $9.8 million loan that enabled the payroll (工资单) to be met for 2,700 teachers and staff in time for the holidays.
    District officials also took $1.7 million from student-activity accounts in its 38schools.
    At Coffman’s request, the District Attorney has begun investigating the district’s finances. Coffman says he wants to know whether district officials hid the budget shortage until after the November election, when voters approved a $212 million bond issue for schools.
    In Frederick, students’ parents are buying classroom supplies and offering to pay for groceries and utilities to keep first-year teachers and principals in their jobs.
    Some $36,000 has been raised in donations from Safeway. A Chevrolet dealership donated $10,000 and forgave the district’s $10,750 bill for renting the driver educating cars. IBM contributed 4,500 packs of paper.
    “We employ thousands of people in this community,” said Mitch Carson, a hospital chief executive, who helped raise funds. “We have children in the schools, and we see how they could be affected.”
    At Creek High School, three students started a website that displays newspaper articles, district information and an email forum (论坛).“Rumors about what’s happening to the district are moving at lighting speed,” said a student. “We wanted to know the truth, and spread that around instead.”