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Debate is the League's longest-running contest, dating back to 1910. A small group of debate coaches met in Abilene and enthusiastically began an interscholastic forensic program to motivate their students and provide them with a practical application for the skills they were developing. It was then that UIL was born. Ten teams representing ten divisions of the state competed in the first state tournament. Over one hundred years later, the UIL Cross-Examination Policy Debate State Meet is celebrated as the largest high school debate tournament in the nation.

At the first state meet, educators voted to add declamation as a state-qualifying contest. Since that time, the League has expanded speaking competition to include two debate contests, two public speaking contests and two oral performance contests and congress. Thousands of students from across the state of Texas compete each year in Cross-Examination Debate, Lincoln-Douglas Debate, Congress, Extemporaneous Informative Speaking, Extemporaneous Persuasive Speaking, Prose Interpretation and Poetry Interpretation.

Speech & Debate News & Updates

Free CX Debate Workshops

UIL is excited to offer free Cross-Examination Debate coach training opportunities during the month of August. All workshops are 1 day and free.

Designed for teachers with little or no training in competitive debate, five workshops are planned at various sites, including in-person sessions at 4 locations:

A workshop via Zoom will also be offered on August 16, which requires pre-registration.

CX Debate challenges bright students to develop higher-order critical thinking skills and active problem solving, engage in deeper research experiences and strengthen communication skills in the realm of advocacy. Long-term, debate builds informed citizens, enhances career success, and creates life-long learners. School participation can add significant points to the academic district sweepstakes and provides the opportunity to advance debaters to a state championship.
For additional information, contact Jana Riggins, State Debate Director: jriggins@uiltexas.org | 512-471-5883
Five Debate Topic Choices Announced for 2026-27 National High School Policy Debate Topic

The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) has announced the five resolutions advancing to the final ballot for the 2026-27 National High School Policy Debate Topic, following deliberations at the annual NFHS Policy Debate Topic Selection Meeting held July 31-August 3 in Austin, Texas. Each year, the NFHS brings together educators, coaches, and state association representatives to evaluate, discuss and refine a list of proposed debate topics with the potential for national implementation. This year's meeting focused on issues at the heart of domestic policy concerns, with these five topics emerging as finalists:

Speech Events:

UIL Writer's Study Report becomes National Policy Topic for
2024-2025

by Jana Riggins - Jan. 26, 2023 (State Director of Speech, Debate, Congress)

High school debaters during the 2024-2025 forensic season will research and debate the topic area developed by Winston Churchill Director of Debate coach Preston Stotle. "The United States federal government should significantly strengthen its protection of domestic intellectual property rights in copyrights, patents, and/or trademarks."

Stotle spent nine months developing and later defending before the National Federation of State High School Associations' national debate topic selection committee his study report.

Five topic areas were selected by the committee in August to be placed on a national ballot in October. The results of that initial vote narrowed the selection down to two debate areas: nuclear weapons reduction and intellectual property rights. Thirty-eight states and four national organizations participated in the voting process that ultimately selected Stotle's topic by a vote of 25-17.

Speech and Debate: Opportunity Should be Provided for All Students

by Mellessa Denny - Oct. 26, 2017 (UIL Coach, Amarillo HS)

Debate is an essential opportunity that should be provided to all students. Studies and professional opinions touting the benefits of participation in speech and debate, also known as forensics, are easily found. Students develop skills in research, critical thinking, organization, persuasion and communication.

Speech and debate students see tangible benefits from participation while in school - confidence in speaking situations, spontaneity in interviews, improved writing in other courses, diverse perspectives. These skills also benefit the student after high school.
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