ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., May 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Focus School Software today announced that St. Johns County School District has selected Focus as part of a multi-phase district modernization initiative, replacing both its internally developed MTSS/RTI platform and its legacy eSchoolPlus student information system.
The district-approved project includes the implementation of the Focus Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) solution, scheduled to go live in July 2026, followed by a full Student Information System (SIS) implementation targeted for the 2027 school year.
Serving more than 50,000 students in one of Florida’s highest-performing school districts, St. Johns County selected Focus following an extensive evaluation process focused on functionality, operational efficiency, reporting capabilities, and long-term sustainability.
“We are proud to partner with St. Johns County School District as they modernize both student services and district operations,” said Andrew Schmadeke, Founder and CEO of Focus School Software. “Districts today are looking for unified platforms that streamline complexity, expand access to data, and deliver a more cohesive experience for educators, students, and families. St. Johns County’s vision aligns strongly with the Focus approach to integrated district technology.”
According to district leadership, a major factor in the decision was Focus’s ability to consolidate multiple systems into a unified platform while reducing operational complexity and long-term costs.
By leveraging the broader Focus ecosystem, St. Johns County School District will be able to eliminate several standalone applications that were previously used for functions such as Online Enrollment, School Choice, Hall Pass, Positive Behaviors, and Student Analytics.
The St. Johns County School District, Chief Information Officer (CIO), Bruce Patrou, shared, “After a comprehensive evaluation, we selected Focus School Software to reduce annual software and infrastructure costs, improve system reliability and resilience with Cloud hosting, simplify system management, reduce integration dependencies, and create a more simplified user experience for staff, students, and families.”
Bruce Patrou, CIO, also noted that the Focus MTSS solution was the only platform selected after evaluating several other MTSS solutions over the past five years.
Additional advantages cited included:
- Advanced state reporting and compliance functionality that eliminates the need for custom-developed reports, validations, and data extracts
- Integrated assessment analytics capabilities allowing the district to eliminate additional third-party solutions
- Multi-zone, high-availability hosting designed to improve reliability while lowering infrastructure expenses
- Significant operational efficiencies, including reducing annual rollover processing from hours to minutes
- Lower implementation and ongoing operational costs compared to alternative SIS platforms evaluated by the district
As part of the implementation, Focus will migrate all historical student data and provide a dedicated project structure that includes data conversion services, specialty group meetings, scheduling workshops, training, and ongoing implementation support.
The Focus platform will provide St. Johns County School District with a comprehensive suite of solutions supporting:
- Student information management
- Online enrollment and school choice
- MTSS and intervention management
- K-12 scheduling and gradebook
- Student analytics and assessment analysis
- Communication tools for staff and families
- State reporting and compliance management
- Mobile access for staff, students, and parents
About Focus School Software
Focus School Software is a leading provider of enterprise student information systems designed to support K-12 school districts. Focus delivers comprehensive solutions, including student information management, CTE and adult education systems, special student services management, and financial information systems.
Focus currently serves more than 3.7 million students across Arizona, California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Vermont.
Media Contact
Chuck Pickens
Focus School Software
chuckp@focusschoolsoftware.com
