The purpose for this study was to examine student reading data at one high-poverty, low-performing Title I school in the State of Tennessee over 2 consecutive years when reading instruction, teacher expectations, and administration changed. This study examined student growth in third and fourth grade on the county benchmark assessment (Study Island) while examining whether different reading instructional formats (traditional versus focused) and expectations created differing results. Traditional instruction was defined as teachers choosing their own teaching method, while focused instruction was identified as state-identified, research- based, best practices. Five research questions were used to examine student growth scores and instructional teaching format. An expost facto design was used for this quantitative study. Preexisting data were used to analyze results. Results of this study were conclusive but varied. According to the results of this study, the data indicated fourth-grade students had a statistically significant difference in growth scores under the traditional teaching format. A statistically significant difference was identified between the mean growth scores of focused instruction for 2017-2018 (N =64, M =3.98, SD =3.65) and traditional instruction for 2016-2017 (N =75, M =7.39, SD =5.55), t(129.084)= 4.33, p=0.00. The effect size, n2 > 0.76 was medium. Data also indicated that when following the same third-grade students to fourth grade, there was a statistically significant difference in the growth score for the beginning of the third-grade year with traditional instruction and the end of the fourth-grade year with focused instruction. A 2.75 mean difference between the data collection in third grade beginning of year to end of the year (2016-2017) was present compared to a 1.95 mean difference between data collection in fourth grade from beginning to end of year (2017-2018). The fourth-grade students receiving focused instruction (2017-2018) had a smaller difference in mean score. The mean growth scores were higher on the first test given in third-grade fall to winter (2016-2017) and the lowest at the end of fourth-grade winter to spring (2017-2018). The data reflect 1-year implementation of the focused instructional teaching format compared to the traditional teaching format that had been in place for an extended amount of time. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]