FILE -- A student picks up cards from a puzzle carpet in the classroom of early-childhood education teacher Kathy Mendez at Pascual LeDoux Academy in Denver. (Andy Cross, The Denver Post)
Financial backers who want school districts to adopt the anti-union, pro-voucher and school- choice model set by Douglas County have fanned out to other parts of Colorado, donating to candidates who are promising similar results.
Among the key donors are businessmen C. Edward McVaney, Ralph Nagel and Alex Cranberg. They have contributed more than $200,000to school board races for the Douglas, Jefferson, Greeley-Evans, Mesa Valley and Thompson school districts.
Colorado Springs real estate developer Steve Schuck has not directly donated to school board races this year but served as a host for a fundraiser to elect a slate of candidates in Jefferson County.
Schuck says he, McVaney, Cranberg and others are purposely focusing contributions where there is the possibility of reform.

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"We do try to target (areas) where we think we have the greatest chance to have the maximum impact," he said.
Schuck and Cranberg were members of the host committee for a fundraiser held by JeffCo Students First in support of Republicans Julie Williams, Ken Witt and John Newkirk, who are vying for seats on the board of Jefferson County Public Schools. The fundraiser at the home of Greenwood Village