Social-emotional learning (SEL) programs are a popular tool used in schools to increase children's competencies across multiple domains, including emotion knowledge and social interaction. Children with appropriate social-emotional skills tend to experience more positive peer relationships, fewer problem behaviors, and improvements in school attitudes and academic performance. The present study explored the effectiveness of the "Strong Start" curriculum as a tier II small group program for early elementary students identified as being at risk for emotional and behavioral challenges. A randomized control trial was conducted to determine how effective the "Strong Start" program was in providing SEL skills instruction to this sample compared to a control group, as well as to determine the impact of this curriculum on classroom behavior particularly in the areas of social skills, problem behaviors, and academic competence. A sample of 15 students were randomly assigned to treatment and inert active control curricula in small groups of three to four students each. Final pre-intervention and post-intervention data were collected for a total of 12 students after attrition during intervention. Analyses included independent samples t-tests to determine the effectiveness of "Strong Start" in teaching SEL content, and multiple two-way mixed ANOVA analyses to determine the impact of "Strong Start" on classroom behavior according to teacher ratings. Though no statistically significant effects were found between treatment and comparison groups, practical significance is discussed along with future directions in this area. [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.]