What Actually Works During Intervention

Why I Created F.O.C.U.S.

NJDOE FOCUS Grant: Turning Literacy Screening Data into Instruction That WorksBy Jackie Frangis

As I read through the NJDOE FOCUS grant, one thought keeps coming up.

This is exactly the work happening in classrooms.

The NJDOE FOCUS grant is centered on three key priorities. Schools are expected to implement high-quality universal literacy screeners, build educator capacity to interpret and use that data, and ensure that data directly informs Tier 1 instruction and targeted interventions in grades K–3. If you want to explore the full details, you can view the grant here: https://www.nj.gov/education/grants/opportunities/

What I am seeing across schools is that most teams are able to get the literacy screener in place. The real challenge is what happens next. How consistently does that data translate into clear, focused instruction during WINN ( What I Need Now)  or intervention time?

That is where I have been spending a lot of time.

Through my role as an NJTSS Federal grant coach in partnership with the NJDOE and Rutgers University, my work with NJPSA, and now through Elevate Educators, I work alongside teachers and school leaders inside classrooms. Together, we look at real-time student data and make decisions about what to teach, how to teach it, and how to keep instruction manageable and effective.

I do not set out to create a framework. I simply sit beside teachers and ask the same questions. What does the data tell us right now? What is the most important skill to teach? How do we model it clearly so students actually learn it?

Over time, I notice a pattern. When teachers lean into that pattern, something shifts. Lessons feel calmer. Students are more willing to try. The learning sticks.

That pattern becomes what I now call F.O.C.U.S.

If it’s helpful, I created a simple one-page F.O.C.U.S. bookmark that teachers use as a quick reference before instruction:👉

F.O.C.U.S. is not a program. It is a way to anchor instruction in effective literacy practices.

It starts with fresh, current data. It narrows the focus to one or two high-impact literacy skills so learning is actually possible. It prioritizes clear learning targets and explicit instruction so students can see how to think, not just what to do. One of the most effective ways to do this is through think-aloud strategies, where teachers make their thinking visible step by step (you can see a clear example here: https://www.readingrockets.org/classroom/classroom-strategies/think-alouds).

It also reinforces the importance of scaffolding and gradually releasing responsibility so students move toward independence. This instructional model, often referred to as “I do, we do, you do,” ensures that students are supported before being asked to work independently (a helpful overview can be found here: https://thinkport.org/grr/).

This aligns closely with the intent of the NJDOE FOCUS grant. The grant is not just about selecting a literacy screener. It emphasizes professional learning, coaching, and systems that help teachers use data to inform instruction in real time.

That is the work.

In classrooms, I support teachers in analyzing universal screening data, identifying precise literacy needs, and designing targeted instruction. I model how to make thinking visible. I help structure intervention time so it is focused and manageable. And I support teams in building consistency so this work happens across classrooms, not just in isolated pockets.

A meaningful shift happens when teachers move from assigning work during intervention to delivering intentional, data-driven instruction. That means slowing down, modeling clearly, and focusing on one skill at a time so students can experience success.

F.O.C.U.S. simply gives teachers a way to hold onto those instructional moves in the middle of a busy day.

Because across every classroom I work in, one thing remains true.

Intervention does not improve when we add more.It improves when we get clearer about what we are teaching and why.

Whether or not a district is applying for the NJDOE FOCUS grant, this is the work many schools are prioritizing right now.

Clear targets.Simple instruction.Purposeful teaching.

That is when literacy intervention works.