Abstract
School-Based Agricultural Education programs provide students with academic, leadership, and experiential learning opportunities that require educators to manage complex instructional and relational responsibilities. Framed through human capital theory and emotional intelligence theory, this descriptive, cross-sectional study examined emotional intelligence among school-based agricultural educators in Texas. Data were collected during the 2018–2019 academic year using the Genos Emotional Intelligence Concise Inventory (Self). Usable emotional intelligence responses were analyzed from (N = 495) educators, with demographic differences examined across gender, age, ethnicity, and highest degree attained. Overall emotional intelligence scores exceeded the international benchmark reported for the instrument, with respondents reporting an overall mean score of 119.9 (SD = 14.28). Emotional Reasoning was the highest-scoring sub-category (M = 19.12, SD = 2.85), suggesting strength in using emotional information to guide workplace decisions and communication. Emotional Management of Others was the lowest-scoring sub-category (M = 15.23, SD = 2.47), indicating a potential area for professional development. Gender and age emerged as influential demographic factors, with females scoring significantly higher in Emotional Self-Awareness, Emotional Awareness of Others, Emotional Management of Others, and Overall Emotional Intelligence. Age significantly influenced several emotional intelligence dimensions, including Emotional Self-Management, Emotional Management of Others, Emotional Self-Control, and Overall Emotional Intelligence. Because the study was descriptive and relied on self-report data, findings should be interpreted as relational rather than causal. Results support emotional intelligence as a developable professional competency and suggest the need for targeted professional development and post-COVID replication studies.