Elevating
civic knowledge,
skills and disposition for Florida's students.
The mission of the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative is to create access and opportunities for all students to have the best civics education including curriculum, debate programs, and high-quality teachers that are catalysts for students becoming great citizens who can preserve our constitutional republic for future generations.
Save the Date for the 2025
QUALIFICATIONS
Students must have competed in at least 2 FCDI tournaments, one of which must have been an in-person regional tournament.
Space is Limited For State Championship!
Preference will be given to competitors who have placed in an FCDI tournament, followed by students who participated in a higher number of events.
Any remaining spots will be awarded on a lottery basis.
2025
January 17-20, 2025
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
The National Civics and Debate Championship is a rigorous contest that thoroughly challenges students' knowledge, debate skills and endurance. While most conventional debate tournaments require students to compete in only one event, this event, the first and only of its kind, requires students to compete in different debate events on each of three tournament days.
Stay tuned for more information about The Great Debate 2026!
We are the students
OF THE FLORIDA CIVICS AND DEBATE INITIATIVE.
By the Numbers
FCDI GROWTH AND EXPANSION
67
SCHOOL
DISTRICTS
3,406
FLORIDA
STUDENTS
405
FLORIDA
SCHOOLS
AMERICA...
YOU'RE IN GOOD HANDS
In 2019, to implement the Governor's executive order, Commissioner Richard Corcoran, the Florida Department of Education and the Florida Education Foundation recognized the success and potential of partnering with the Central Florida Debate Initiative to establish a statewide debate program that focused on civics education. The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative is the first of its kind to use debate specifically as a tool to enrich civics education and to have incredibly strong support from state leaders.
SPECIAL THANKS
TO OUR PARTNERS
