In recent years, schools have begun Social Emotional Learning (SEL) instruction. In 1994, the term Social Emotional Learning was coined by CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning; originally named the Collaborative to Advance Social and Emotional Learning). SEL instruction is critical in schools because communities and educational leaders are starting to understand the interconnected nature of social-emotional learning and academic skills such as goal setting, managing emotions, maintaining positive relationships, showing empathy, and making responsible decisions (Data Quality Campaign, 2018). Eighty-two percent of Americans surveyed reported it is of utmost importance for schools to help students develop interpersonal skills (Data Quality Campaign, 2018). According to Atwell, et. al., in "Ready to Lead: A 2019 Update of Principals' Perspectives on How Social and Emotional Learning Can Prepare Children and Transform Schools," the percentage of principals that believed social and emotional skills should be included in state education doubled between 2017 to 2019. As outlined in the executive summary of the report, Principals stand ready to bring systemic, school-wide SEL to their schools, but they need greater support from leaders at the state and district levels to ensure every student has access to a high-quality education that nourishes their social and emotional skills along with academic learning. Now is the time for policymakers to heed the calls of educators and provide the necessary supports for a student-centric, whole child education that develops the leaders of tomorrow. (p. 4) Effective regulation of both negative and positive emotions plays a pivotal role in young children's emotional and cognitive development and later academic achievement (Djambazova-Popordanoska, 2016). Recent neuroscientific research has confirmed the powerful role of emotions on children's cognitive mastery, indicating emotions can either impede or facilitate the children's learning process (Djambazova-Popordanoska, 2016). Research findings point to the critical role of emotion regulation on young children's readiness for school, asserting that children with developed emotion regulation skills are able to focus and maintain their attention on the learning task and follow the teachers' instructions, which are key contributors to future academic success (Djambazova-Popordanoska, 2016). When children are exposed to trauma, it can lead to "impairment in school functioning and aggressive and delinquent behavior" (Jaycox et al., 2009, pp. 49-50). In monitoring and evaluating classroom behaviors, researchers have found students suffering from the effects of trauma may exhibit behaviors such as passivity, inability to concentrate, verbal and physical blow-ups, frequent absences, and "spacing out" (Sitler, 2009). When students are exposed to high trauma, they tend to have low achievement, discipline problems, attention problems, grade repeats, and poor school attendance (Duplechain, et al., 2008). In terms of achievement, children who have experienced trauma have poorer school performance, a lower GPA, decreased IQ and reading ability, and more days of being absent from school (Kuban & Steele, 2011). Teachers lack the training and self efficacy to be effective in supporting students' social emotional learning (citation). Teacher efficacy is important because it has the potential to positively impact all grade levels and departments within a school (Dewitt, 2022). Due to the shortage of adequate training and support, many teachers report a lack of efficacy in their abilities to be effective in teaching SEL in their classrooms. Teachers reported the need to support students who come from backgrounds that include trauma (Bridgeland et al., 2013). In their 2013 nationwide survey, Bridgeland, et al. found teachers are in support of training to teach Social Emotional Learning Skills to their students. The survey found teachers believe these skills can and should be taught, no matter the demographic. The educators in this were of the common belief that the teaching of these skills has an effect on every aspect of student life from attendance, behavior, character development, academic performance, and to graduation. To be successful in implementing Social Emotional learning, teachers need support from district and building level leaders (Bridgeland, et al., 2013). To better understand the process of teacher certification and amount of training pre-service teachers receive in SEL, Schonert and Reichl, (2015) found not a single state had teacher educator standards that included SEL skills in their learning for teachers, and only 33 percent had a set of SEL competencies for students. Inservice Preparation for Educators, (Jennings & Frank, 2015), asserted the development of these skills is critical for teachers and will help prepare them to better manage the behavior issues they will face in the classroom. They indicated that developing classroom management skills in teachers will help them to establish relationships with students, better manage their classrooms, and reduce the likelihood of teacher burnout and turnover. They asserted that when teachers do receive training, it is not sufficient, and often a one time event without continued support for implementation (Jennings & Frank, 2015)..School leaders play a crucial role in affecting teacher learning and school improvement (Grissom, et al., 2021). In 1999, the Wallace Foundation's board of directors commissioned studies targeted at the impact of K-12 public school leaders. The research was conducted by Grissom, et. al. and published in 2021. Their research found that during the first twenty years of the 21st century, school leaders play an integral role in school improvement. For many years prior to this, leadership had been shown to be critical in sectors other than K-12 public education, but little research had been done on public school leaders until this point (Grissom, et al., 2021). The research team of Grissom et al. of Vanderbilt University, Egalite of North Carolina State University, and Lindsay of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill concluded, based on research since 2000: The impact of an effective principal has likely been understated, with impacts being both greater and broader than previously believed: greater in the impact on student achievement and broader in affecting other important outcomes, including teacher satisfaction and retention (especially among high-performing teachers), student attendance, and reductions in exclusionary discipline. (p.ix) In 2019, Borowski outlined five social emotional learning competencies. One of these competencies is 'Relationship Skills'. Students use these relationship skills to work with partners and small groups to solve problems and learn. Advocates for social emotional learning instruction highlighted the interwoven nature of academic learning and social and emotional skills (Immordino-Yang, et al., 2018). Instructional time spent on SEL does not mean a loss for more traditional academic skills. Rather, the time spent on SEL skills will result in more socially competent students with the ability to focus and persist on academic tasks (Weissberg, 2019). School leaders looking to improve academic proficiency will find a whole school approach to social emotional learning has multiple benefits (Oberle, et. al., 2016). [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.]