Join Dr. Davis to review a fascinating eight-month research and professional development project designed to explore, teach, and integrate transformative emotional intelligence throughout the educational setting. The four phased appreciative inquiry begins by introducing the participants to transformative emotional intelligence and social emotional learning through an asynchronous book study using Teaching and Learning Excellence: Engaging Self and Others with Emotional Intelligence (Nelson, Low, Nelson, & Hammett, 2017). In addition to responding to stem questions through discussion board, participants will have the opportunity to engage in synchronous focus group interviews about their learning experiences; experiences that include taking the online Skills for Career And Life Effectiveness® (SCALE®) positive assessment of emotional intelligence three times over the course of the study. Dr. Davis will also present how the participants are receiving coaching to help them develop a strategic plan for increasing emotional intelligence using a positive change model, as well as guided practice for embedding social-emotional learning standards into lesson plans. An emphasis for the study is to use social-emotional learning interventions identified as evidence to meet school-based Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) plans. The study progress and preliminary data trend analysis will be presented during this unique conference program. Program Learning Objectives: 1. The purpose of this session is to provide initial trend analysis of data from a current study to develop EI for educational professionals. 2. The goal is to present key preliminary findings for open discussion. 3. At the conclusion of this session, conference attendees should be able to help identify applications of study results to their own practice. 4. Understand the process of focus group work to develop student learning expectations as evidence of learning in the K-12 setting and teacher preparation programs.