Welcome to the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI). Whether you are returning for another season or joining us for the first time, we are glad to have you. Complete this form to officially register your team, open the door to speech and debate competition and start the conversation about the support your team needs to thrive.
Registration is required for competition in 2026-2027 and competition is FREE!
THE FCDI MISSION
The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) seeks to expand and enhance civic knowledge and reinvigorate public debate and civil discourse. The FCDI is committed to developing upright, virtuous and self-governing citizens who recognize and accept the responsibility to preserve and defend the blessings of liberty inherited from previous generations. The FCDI is committed to supporting the development of new debate teams with a focus on underserved areas as well as supporting established teams in their continued success and sustainability.
OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH FDI
The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) is a statewide league for competitive speech and debate in Florida. We work in close partnership with the Florida Debate Initiative (FDI) to bring this programming to every corner of the state.
FDI is a nonprofit educational organization committed to expanding access to competitive speech and debate in schools across Florida. Its mission is to empower emerging student leaders with essential communication, critical thinking, and leadership skills through high-quality civics, speech, and debate programming.
In alignment with and in support of the Florida Civics and Debate Initiative, FDI contributes both financial resources and programmatic support to help advance FCDI’s statewide goals of increasing civic literacy, amplifying student voice, and preparing the next generation of active, informed citizens.
As FCDI's educational support organization, FDI focuses on:
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Educating and training coaches and students
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Training judges and volunteers
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Promoting educational competition opportunities
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Leading training and leadership development experiences
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Establishing competition standards
Learn more about the FDI at floridadebate.org.
Please take a few moments to carefully read all of the information below. This information is extremely important to ensure that your team is eligible to compete this year. We appreciate your time.
Note: this process is best completed on a laptop or desktop computer.
A team unit and team name must reflect the official school. For example, if a school is K-12, the coach should only register one team using the school’s official name (i.e. a school named “Debate Academy - Orlando” should register as “Debate Academy - Orlando”. Coaches then may register both types of students, middle and high school, as needed into the school's student roster. Teams may not receive more than one team stipend, but the size of the team and any additional expenses will be considered. If you are a coach of two distinct schools,please see the guidelines for multiple teams.
MIDDLE/HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS
If you are a coach of teams at more than one distinct school, pleaseregister each team independently and enter the corresponding students into eachschool's student roster. To apply for financial aid for both teams, each team must havetheir own FCDI registration, training, and expenses to qualify
MULTIPLE TEAMS
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
A few things to know up front so registration goes smoothly:
The head coach of the team. The head and assistant coaches you list here become the official coaches of record for the season.
WHO COMPLETES THIS FORM
Initial registration ends October 2, 2026. After this date, teams are accepted on a rolling basis. You can return to this form at any time to add students or upload new scripts.
REGISTRATION DEADLINE
The head or assistant coach of record must be present at every FCDI tournament, in person or online, for students to compete. If neither can attend, you may request a proxy coach by emailing FCDI@fldoe.org with a letter of approval from your principal.
COACH ATTENDANCE
Any change to your head or assistant coach during the season must be submitted using the Coach Change Form here by the registration deadline of the next FCDI tournament.
CHANGES TO TEAM COACH
Every competing student must be entered on the roster with all required fields completed, including the media release. Students added after initial registration must be entered here and in SpeechWire by the registration deadline of their first 2026–2027 FCDI tournament.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY
Follow the naming convention “Student Last Name Independent” (for example, Lindsay Independent). Teams with multiple students should use “City or County Independent” (for example, Orange Independent). Please email Kendall.Lindsay@fldoe.org to confirm your team name before registering.
INDEPENDENT AND NON-SCHOOL TEAMS
FCDI registration is required to receive coach and team stipends. A new team must have 3 or more students to qualify for either stipend. All other teams must have 6 or more students to qualify for either stipend. Teams demonstrating financial need may apply for additional support using the Financial Assistance Application here. The deadline to complete the application is October 2, 2026.
STIPENDS
QUESTIONS?
Reach out any time to FCDI@fldoe.org.
We’re here to help.
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TEAM REGISTRATION
Team names will be standardized according to the naming convention described below in 2026-2027. Please follow the new naming convention below when registering your team:
For existing teams: the official name of the school (no abbreviations) should match the team name entered (i.e. a school named Debate Academy - Orlando should have a team name of Debate Academy – Orlando). If your team name in SpeechWire does not match the name entered here, the name you enter here will become your team name in SpeechWire (no action needed). You may not register a K-12 school as two teams if there is only one school – the team must match the school.
For independent and non-school teams: Follow the naming convention “Student Last Name Independent” (for example, Lindsay Independent). Teams with multiple students should use “City or County Independent” (for example, Orange Independent). Please email Kendall.Lindsay@fldoe.org to confirm your team name before registering. If your team name in SpeechWire does not match the name entered here, the name you enter here will become your team name in SpeechWire (no action needed).
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COACH REGISTRATION
Each team must have a registered head coach. Please fill out the registration form below.
You may pause here and enter students into the student roster once you have the necessary information. See student roster requirements due October 2, 2026 for financial assistance below.
Please note: teams competing in the first qualifiers must register and complete the student roster for their students prior to the October 2 deadline.
OPTIONAL PAUSE
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STUDENT ROSTER
All students must be entered into the student roster to compete. We highly recommend registering every student who may compete in at least one FCDI tournament during the 2026–2027 season at the beginning of the year.
A student must appear on this roster with complete information to be eligible to compete. The deadline to add students to the roster is the SpeechWire tournament registration deadline for the student's first 2026–2027 FCDI tournament.
Once a student is entered, they are registered for the full season.
You can return to this form any time to add new team members.
You may make changes to a student's information (i.e. script) through the update form (link/button for form when ready).
Be sure to enter your email address after you submit to receive a copy of your submission.
APPLY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
The Financial Assistance Application form is due no later than October 2, 2026.
FCDI is committed to making competitive speech and debate accessible for every Florida school that wants to participate. FCDI tournaments are free in 2026-2027, and we offer team support stipends to teams that demonstrate financial need.
For the 2026–2027 season, team support stipends range from $1,000 to $3,000. Award amounts are determined based on the level of need reflected in your responses below. The information you share here shapes the support we can offer your team this year, so please answer as fully as you can.
A team unit and team name must reflect the official school. For example, if a school is K-12, the coach should only register one team using the school’s official name (i.e. a school named “Debate Academy - Orlando” should register as “Debate Academy - Orlando”. Coaches then may register both types of students, middle and high school, as needed into the school's student roster. Teams may not receive more than one team stipend, but the size of the team and any additional expenses will be considered. If you are a coach of two distinct schools, please see the guidelines for multiple teams.
Existing teams must register at least 6 students on the roster by the initial registration deadline to qualify for a team stipend. Teams new to speech and debate must register at least 3 students to qualify.
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Existing teams are defined as teams that competed at least once in 2025-2026 in any speech and debate league or competition.
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Financial assistance for independent/homeschool will be made on a case by case basis. Please reach out to FCDI@fldoe.org.
MINIMUM TEAM SIZE
FCDI team stipends are awarded principally to advance the growth of speech and debate at Florida's public schools, in keeping with the program's mission to expand civic education access statewide. Other educational organizations may submit an application; awards outside of public schools are made at the discretion of FCDI based on demonstrated financial need. All teams, regardless of school type, have full access to the programs, initiatives, and coach and student opportunities offered by FCDI and FDI.
ELIGIBILITY
The head or assistant coach listed on the team registration.
WHO COMPLETES THE APPLICATION
October 2, 2026. Teams will be notified of application status after the deadline. Selected teams will receive an agreement to complete before funds are distributed; this agreement must be returned by the deadline indicated to receive the stipend. Late applications and agreements cannot be considered.
DEADLINE TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE
Stipend funds must be spent on expenses directly related to participation in FCDI tournaments or FCDI and FDI programs and activities. Speech and debate membership dues and supplies required for competition are allowable uses.
ALLOWABLE USE OF FUNDS
Please see guidelines above for blended and multiple teams.
MULTIPLE TEAMS AND MIDDLE/HIGH TEAMS
The coach stipend is managed separately by FDI and is not contingent on receiving a team stipend. Coaches are eligible for $1,500 if their team participates in at least three FCDI regional or statewide qualifier tournaments, and $1,750 if their team participates in four or more. At least two of these must be in-person tournaments, and the National Civics and Debate Championship (NCDC) does not count as a participation event. The coach stipend is open to coaches across all school types, including public, public charter, private, homeschool, and microschool. Regardless of school type, a team must have 6 or more students for its coach to qualify or 3 or more students for new teams. The coach stipend requires a separate coaching agreement, which FDI will send to you once your team is registered.
COACH STIPEND
COMPLETION CHECKLIST
REGISTER YOUR TEAM
Return to coach registration to edit coaches as needed.
REGISTER COACHES
OPTIONAL: GO TO JUDGES PAGE
OPTIONAL: APPLY FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
Return to the student roster as needed to add students and upload scripts.
COMPLETE THE STUDENT ROSTER
WHAT'S NEXT?
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Watch your email for confirmation. If you do not receive confirmation within two business days of submitting registration, please reach out to FCDI@fldoe.org.
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If you applied for team financial assistance, watch your email for an update on your application status after the deadline..
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Return to this form anytime to add students or upload new scripts. New students must be added to the roster by the SpeechWire tournament registration deadline of the first 2026–2027 FCDI tournament they plan to attend.
2026-2027 SEASON JUDGES
Please direct all judges to the NEW Judge page well before a tournament, preferably as soon as you learn of their interest in judging. The page includes a sign-up form for the required judge training course, event resources, and tournament expectations. Reviewing these materials and completing the training helps create a fair and successful tournament experience for everyone.