Why Forensics?
California High School Speech Association
Alignment with Standards
 Competitive Speech and Debate Activities
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Meet 15 of the National Common Core
Standards for ELA (including the newly
adopted California Common Core Standards).
Meet all ten of the National Common Core
Standards for Social Studies.
Meet 58 of 62 current California ELA State
Standards.
College Board Standards for College
Success (CBSCS)
 We meet all four zones (reading, writing,
speaking and listening) of the College Board
Standards for College Success.
National Association of Secondary
School Principal’s Breaking Ranks
 Endorses speech and debate for
Promotion of one-on-one direct instruction
 Instruction in evaluative criticism
 Support of community outreach
 Promotion of educational leadership
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Alignment with School Learning Goals
 Critical and Creative Thinking
 Effective Communicators and Collaborators
 Information Processors
 Self Management
 Civic Literacy
Advantages and Benefits

Unique benefits for gifted, special needs and at-risk
students.
– A Georgia State study on speeech and debate
showed that disciplinary referrals (including
expulsions, in-school suspensions and
mandatory parent-teacher conferences)
dropped by 50% after one year of
participating in a speech and debate program;
in the following year, it continued to drop and
additional 46%.
– Improves attendance
Advantages and Benefits

Higher performance on standardized tests.
– 50% more likely to reach the college ready
benchmark on the ACT.
– African-American males are 70% more likely to reach
the college ready benchmark on the ACT.
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Higher GPA
– The average GPA is 20% higher than a non-debating
peer.
– In Atlanta’s computer assisted debate project, 7th
graders saw their cumulative GPAs rise four points on
average.
Advantages and Benefits

Participation in forensics results in a statistically
significant improvement in reading and writing
scores.
– Debaters improved scores by 25% more than nondebaters.
– The average debater improved by a year and a half
compared to national norms.
Improved access to content material.
 Improved graduation and retention rates.

– Average graduation rate is 40% higher than nondebating peers.
– African-American males had a 70% higher graduation
rate than their non-debating peers.
Advantages and Benefits After High School

90% of speech and debate participants go to college.
– 90% of debaters go on to earn at least one
graduate degree.
– Being a captain of a high school debate team
gives the student a 60% improved chance of
being accepted to an ivy league university.

Most prominent litigators and appellate specialists
participated in high school debate.
Advantages and Benefits After High School
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Advantages in business world
 The ability to Develop a cogent argument with
evidence
 The ability to effectiveluy advocate for a position
 The ability to make an argument in a limited
amount of time.
Workplace skills
– Digital Age Literacy
– Inventive Thinking
– Effective Communication
– High Productivity
FAQs
• Is it expensive?
– Speech and debate can be very reasonable with the
State dues set at $100. Local league dues will vary.
Costs will go up commensurate with the number of
tournaments you attend.
• Does the advisor need to be a credentialed
teacher?
– Teachers are preferred, but any District approved
adult can act as a coach.
• Does this involve extensive travel?
– Not necessarily. There are many local tournaments
available hosted by league schools.
Resources
• www.cahssa.org
• Speaking Across the Curriculum