This exploratory sequential mixed methods study aimed to understand teachers' perceptions of the impact of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) on school climate and student engagement, which is an area of study lacking in current literature. The research questions which guided the study were: What are teachers' perceptions of the connection between a school-based SEL program anchored in the NJ State Standards for Social Emotional Learning and student engagement in grades K-5? What are teachers' perceptions of the connection between a school-based SEL program anchored in the NJ State Standards for Social Emotional Learning and school climate? This exploratory sequential mixed method study explored a school-based SEL program anchored in NJ State Standards for Social Emotional Learning. The quantitative portion included use of archival data from a CASEL survey of the teachers in kindergarten through fifth grade in order to gain an understanding of the experiences and perceptions of the district wide social emotional learning (SEL) program. After all teachers completed the survey, the quantitative portion of the research was conducted by choosing a sampling of the same teachers to participate in interviews which investigated their perception of the school climate and student engagement prior to the implementation of the SEL program as well as after the curriculum was implemented. The interviews helped gain an additional understanding of the changes, both negative and positive, if any, which took place, in both the school climate and student engagement since prior to and post implementation of the SEL program. The goal was to determine what the teachers perceived the changes were and how this has impacted them in particular as well as the district. Gaining this understanding may allow future research to focus on how best to support educators with varying years of experience to properly and confidently implement SEL programming. [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.]