Rock Concert Plunges School Into Debt

A concert meant to raise funds for a music program plunged a school into debt, according to financial records.

Context Middle School organized a Steve Miller Band concert to raise money for its Kids Rock Free music program.

Kids Rock Free, which is run by the nonprofit Fender Center, was to bring musical instrument training to the school's students.

The show was on Sept. 18 at the Civic Center and was billed as sold out by organizers.

Instead of raising funds, it saddled both the Fender Center and Context Middle School with a $38,150 debt, the school's financial records show.

New school falls apart

The school was Temecula's newest charter school. It opened in August with more than 100 students at the 's headquarters.

To read about its opening, .

It stayed open for only half a year. In February, school officials announced it ran out of money and would close.

To read about the closure, .

Whether the concert caused the school's closure was unknown, said Lori Ordway-Peck, the assistant superintendent of business services for the Temecula school district.

The largest part of the debt incurred by the concert was the $52,061 fee the Steve Miller Band charged to perform, according to documents.

Audio and recording gear rental cost $8,750, the band's travel fees amounted to $6,347, a youth symphony orchestra that backed the band cost $3,188, rooms for the band cost $871, Fender Center staff overtime cost $817, dinner for the band cost $600, dinner for the band cost $216, and other meal costs amounted to $299.

Context made one payment of $35,000 to the Fender Center to pay off part of this debt, the record shows.

Context's money trouble first appeared in December when it made its first financial report to the district, Ordway-Peck said.

"TVUSD is charged with overseeing their finances," she said about the reports.

The district received reports that seemed to overstate some assets, an inaccurate cashflow report and other documents that were simply incomplete, she said.

The district asked for more information, but they got nothing. "Whatever we asked for, they weren't able to provide," Ordway-Peck said.

Context Middle School board members did not return a call made to their headquarters asking for comment last Tuesday.

Editor's note: This article was updated at 7:49 a.m. with more information on Context's bill.