As the emphasis on measures of student academic achievement increases, educational researchers and practitioners are interested in identifying factors that demonstrate effectiveness in supporting student achievement. This quantitative, correlational study explored the influence of emotional intelligence on closing the achievement gap. A study of 142 eleventh grade students was conducted in a small urban school district, examining relationships between student scores on the Mayer, Salovey, and Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test: Youth Version and the Virginia Standards of Learning End-of-Course Reading Assessment. Multiple regressions and the parametric test, analysis of variance, were used to analyze the data and help to answer the research question is emotional intelligence a predictor of academic achievement. Insight into the role of emotional intelligence was gained through the finding that emotional intelligence plays a significant role in predicting academic achievement for all students but more specifically for at-risk students. The results of this study can be used to promote social change within public schools that have been focused primarily on cognitive skills without fully considering the role and potential of emotional development in promoting academic success. These results support the incorporation of instructional strategies that develop emotional intelligence and provide a basis for further inquiry in this area. [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://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]