Even though there's a budget shortfall the Duval county school district is spending $42,000 on marketing three struggling high schools.  The schools are Raines, Ribault and Andrew Jackson.  The goal is to attract students to these intervene schools and inform parents about what the schools have to offer their students. 

District spokesperson Jill Johnson says the money is not from the "operating dollars to pay salaries" but it's coming "through a grant through the high school office".  She says this marketing campaign has been in the works since March and is not a knee-jerk reaction to the recent decision by the Florida Board of Education to allow the district to continue to execute their plan to rehabilitate these failing schools.

Johnson says she understands the concern of people who say teachers and other staff have been laid off but the district is still spending money.  "You have to look at a balance.  Obviously we want to make sure our kids succeed and our kids can succeed if they know about the opportunities that are available to them". 

The campaign includes money for posters, radio advertisement and public service announcements.