The purpose of this basic qualitative, interpretative study was to explore the relationships among blended learning classrooms, communities of inquiry, and student engagement in secondary grades in Tennessee. I conducted this study using the Communities of Inquiry framework to find a deeper understanding and gain insight into Tennessee public secondary teachers' perceptions of blended learning classrooms, communities of inquiry, and student engagement in a blended learning environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to the lack of existing research on the on secondary teachers' perceptions of blended learning instruction and student engagement, I conducted this study to increase the literature base and fill in gaps regarding this topic. To address the gaps in literature, I utilized SurveyMonkey, a web-based platform, to collect data through a web-based questionnaire with one multiple choice question, and 10 open-ended questions. I utilized purposeful sampling to determine the participants of this study, who were Tennessee's public secondary teachers, certified to teach in the State of Tennessee, who taught as a public secondary teacher, 7th-12th grades, and who utilized a blended learning model of instruction during the instructional years of 2020-2023. After collecting data from 14 participants, via an online questionnaire, I analyzed the data using open, axial, and selective coding to generate themes. Secondary public school teachers indicated secondary teachers utilized online learning platforms as instructional tools to create meaningful lessons and students utilized specific technology tools to engage in classroom activities through online programs in blended classrooms. [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.]