The Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce (2018) refers to a demand of an "upskilled workforce," one that requires employees to have a deeper knowledge of rapidly changing technology and a comprehensive set of teamwork, collaboration, and leadership skills than in the past - all competencies that require specialized skills and credentials typically attained through post-secondary education (FHI-360, 2022; Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 2018). Unfortunately, it appears that the national and state college completion rates have stalled. This has led to an increased focus on both college and career readiness (CCR) and academic achievement in K12 education. Evidence of the relationships between CASEL's (2023) social emotional learning (SEL) competencies to both academic engagement and achievement along with separate evidence supporting basic psychological needs satisfaction and frustration (BPNSF) to students' motivation to learn provide the foundation for the current study. Both SEL and SDT suggest that a sense of autonomy in the classroom, belongingness with peers and teachers, and a high sense of competence are all independently and collectively related to effective learning (Earl et al., 2019). The current study examined the effect of an SEL program on high school student motivation and academic achievement, through the lens of SDT. The main research question was whether the predictor variables of SE competency (SEC), BPNSF, and intrinsic motivation (IM) affect scores on academic achievement (GPA and absences) for high school students. Demographic differences between participants and baseline social emotional competency was also explored for possible relationships. Results revealed a statistically significant growth in grade point average (GPA) and a moderately significant decrease in absences for students following the intervention and that of the control group. Total SEC scores were a unique predictor of variance in both GPA and number of absences following the program. Lastly, results did not reveal any significant main or interaction effects which suggests no difference in the effectiveness of the SEL program for males and females, for youth of different race or ethnicity, different household income levels, or first-generation college student status for GPA or number of absences. [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://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]