Adolescents in the urban public school system experience childhood trauma that sometimes makes it difficult to focus on learning. Even more so, sometimes trauma experienced by youth manifests in disruptive behaviors in the school setting. Traditionally, urban public schools have focused on teaching and learning academics, generally neglecting the social and emotional aspects of this population of students. Instead, all urban public school districts should focus on meeting the whole child's needs, inclusive of academic, social, and emotional learning. In August 2017, New Jersey adopted social and emotional learning (SEL) core competencies and promoted SEL to enhance the building of positive school climates and the healthy development of students. The New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) recognizes that healthy students are better learners and that many factors can impact a student's academic attainment and overall health. The department supports wellness policies and practices that address students' physical, social, and emotional needs. Recognizing that education cannot achieve this alone, the department works with other state agencies to support the implementation of statutes and regulations designed to promote student and staff wellness (NJDOE, 2019). Yet not all schools have adopted a whole-school approach to SEL practices that support the needs of students. Based on a review of literature on SEL practices, a 2011 meta-analysis of 213 studies surveyed more than 270,000 learners and found that, on average, students who took part in SEL-informed curricula saw an 11% jump in academic achievement when compared to learners who did not participate (Accredited Schools Online, 2020). Results (based on 35 to 112 interventions depending on the outcome category) indicated that, compared to the controls, students demonstrated enhanced SEL skills, attitudes, and positive social behaviors following the intervention showed fewer conduct problems and had lower emotional distress (Durlak et al., 2011). Another study analyzed 82 programs involving more than 97,000 students from kindergarten to middle school in the U.S., Europe, and the U.K., assessing the effects at least six months after the programs were completed. The researchers found that social-emotional learning continued to have positive effects in the classroom and connected to longer-term positive outcomes (University of British Columbia, 2017). This quantitative research study investigated teacher perceptions of the influence of school-wide SEL practices on academic engagement and personal behavior of 6th-12th grade students who experienced trauma in an urban public school district. Teachers completed an online google forms survey adapted from the Collaborative for Academic and Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL) with approval. There were 12 closed-end Likert scale questions and three check box option responses consisting of eight SEL practices the district employs. The check box options were mindfulness, yoga practices, restorative justice practices, PBSIS, class meetings, engaging practices, optimistic closure, and welcoming rituals. Teachers checked off all of the options they felt were the most effective SEL practice that affected student academic engagement and student personal behavior. Results of findings indicated that teachers perceived mindfulness practices, welcoming routines, class meetings, and engaging practices as four of the most effective practices influencing student academic engagement. Additionally, teachers perceived mindfulness practices, welcoming rituals, restorative justice practices, PBSIS, and engaging practices as the most effective practices influencing student personal behavior. The results indicate statistical significance in teacher expectations of student engagement in SEL practices and a positive influence on student academic engagement and behavior. The research findings will add to the existing literature on SEL practices. [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.]