Date of Award

Summer 8-15-2026

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

EdD Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Department

Education Leadership, Management and Policy

Advisor

Randall Clemens, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Kanika Chopra, Ed.D

Committee Member

Amy Arsiwala, Ed.D

Keywords

Academic Achievement; Culturally Responsive Pedagogy; Intersectionality; Positive Behavior Support in Schools (PBSIS); Social-Emotional Learning (SEL); Self-awareness; Self-management; Social awareness; Relationship skills; Responsible decision-making.

Abstract

Abstract

Examining the Impact of Social-Emotional Learning on Academic Achievement in African American Middle School Girls

Rebekah Solomon Ed.S

African American girls enrolled in middle school today face an education system that is impacted by overlapping factors such as their race, sex, teacher discipline systems, and insufficient encouragement of Black culture (Crenshaw, Ocen, & Nanda, 2015; Couvson, 2016). While numerous studies show that implementing Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) can increase academic performance and support emotional self-regulation, much of the research does not examine data from subgroups of learners, such as African American females. There is also considerable evidence to support that SEL can promote improvement in academic success and social/emotional skill sets  (Durlak et al., 2011; Durlak, Mahoney, & Boyle, 2022), but several researchers have made the case that if SEL programs are not implemented in ways that are culturally relevant, then the same dominant culture will continue to perpetuate systemic inequities (Jones & Kahn, 2017; Eldeeb, 2025).

The purpose of this qualitative multiple-case study was to explore the effects of culturally responsive social-emotional learning interventions on the academic success, social and emotional health, and peer relationships of African American middle school girls across three school types: private, charter, and public. Academic success was defined by grades, attendance, classroom participation, and performance on standardized assessments.

Grounded in Social-Emotional Learning Theory and Culturally Responsive Pedagogy, this study incorporated both frameworks to provide a broad, equity-centered lens for examining.

how SEL functions as both a developmental and transformational educational approach, affirming one’s identity and promoting a sense of belonging. The foundation for SEL theory (Zins et al., 2007; McClelland et al., 2017) is based on developing the following five competencies: self-awareness; self-management; social awareness; relationship skills; and responsible decision-making, which are positively correlated with improved academic outcomes. Culturally Responsive Pedagogy (Gay, 2018; Ladson-Billings, 1995) values students’ cultural identities and lived experiences as strengths in the learning process and seeks to unlearn deficit-based educational narratives and embrace educational equity principles.

A qualitative multi-case study design (Yin, 2018; Stake, 1995) was used to examine the implementation and impact of the SEL program across three middle school sites. Data included semi-structured interviews with African American girls and instructional staff, structured observations of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) practices and school climate, and a review of SEL programming and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) documents. Data was analyzed using thematic analysis, examining both within-case and cross-case data to identify commonalities in belonging, relational trust, identity confirmation, and academic engagement. Using multiple data sources allowed for greater triangulation and thus provided greater reliability and context for the data collected (Merriam & Tisdell, 2016).

Findings indicated that SEL programs are more impactful when purposefully designed to be culturally relevant, when demonstrated across the school to have a consistent relationship, and the school has a strong commitment to the goals of the program. When there was consistent affirmation of a student’s race and gender within the school structure, there were increases in academic engagement, emotional regulation, and a sense of belonging. As indicated by

Rambaran et al. (2022), with regard to peer support and same-ethnicity networks, students identified the need for relational safety to be academically motivated. Nevertheless, some schools did not implement SEL programs with fidelity or provide sufficient professional development in culturally responsive behaviors, thereby limiting the positive impact of SEL on student success.

This study's contribution to the emerging field of equity-focused SEL is significant because it highlights the perspectives of African American girls in middle school settings. It has been established that, when combined with culturally responsive instructional strategies, SEL can serve as a strong avenue for academic success, emotional well-being, and equitable school reform when embedded within school-level behavioral programs. As a result, there are some critical implications of this research: professional development should be culturally responsive; SEL should be intentionally integrated into PBSIS; and there must be a commitment to continual leadership support for all students' identity affirmation and sense of belonging in middle school contexts.

Keywords: Academic Achievement; Culturally Responsive Pedagogy; Intersectionality; Positive Behavior Support in Schools (PBSIS); Social-Emotional Learning (SEL); Self-awareness; Self-management; Social awareness; Relationship skills; Responsible decision-making.

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