Member Login

Start A Program

    NSDA membership is school based. To start a program, you need a coach to lead the team and the support of the school. 

    1. Find a coach

      • The majority of our coaches are English or Social Studies teachers. With our team’s support and New Coach Guide, anyone can coach speech and debate! 
      • Need a hand finding a coach? Create an account to post a position for free on our job board!

    2. Get the school on board

      • Membership is school based but teams can be classroom based or after-school. 
      • Find the tools you need to persuade on our advocacy page. 
      • Share our info page for administrators with a decision maker.

    3. Sign up yourself and your school!

    4. Recruit students for the team and add their memberships to unlock benefits.

    5. Explore our New Coach Guide for tips and support as you learn about events, attend your first tournament, enter points, and more.

    6. Need help with any of the above? Contact us for support! 

    "DEBATE NOT ONLY PROVIDED ME THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND GUIDANCE TO QUESTION MYSELF AND THE WORLD AROUND ME, BUT ALSO A COMMUNITY THAT I WILL CHERISH FOREVER." - Ishan Bhatt
    "SPEECH AND DEBATE BROADENED MY PERSPECTIVE OF THE WORLD AROUND ME AND DEEPENED MY UNDERSTANDING OF MYSELF AND MY ABILITIES." - COURTNEY JANINE BRUNSON

    Membership Structure

    Annual School Membership

    High School: $149     Middle School: $75

    Membership is good through July 31 of the school year for which you are renewing.

    ACCESS LEVEL MEMBER BENEFITS COST CYCLE

    STUDENT BENEFITS
    • Eligibility to earn a portion of the $150,000 in college scholarships we give annually.
    • Membership in one of the oldest and most respected honor societies.
    • The opportunity to earn local, state, and national recognition for achievement.
    • Access to helpful training tools to build their skills through the school's membership.
    • An opportunity to compete to attend the National Tournament, the pinnacle of speech and debate, where 54 national champions are crowned.
    		 MS: $10
    HS: $20    		 One-time

    COACH MEMBERSHIP
    • Professional development opportunities and credit through our learning management system, NSDA Learn.
    • An opportunity to network and connect with colleagues across the country via our online forums.
    • Access to online resources through the school’s membership.
    • Eligibility for local and national awards for progress and excellence in coaching, in the classroom, and in service to the speech and debate community.
    • Access to a professional coach accreditation program.
    		 $20 One-time

    RESOURCE PACKAGE

    		  

    Enhance Your Membership

    NSDA membership includes access to excellent training tools, competitive resources, and more. The Resource Package is a membership add-on for teams or individuals that offers the best speech and debate resources around all for one low price. The Resource Package provides coaches, educators, and students with valuable resources to improve their speech and debate skills, all curated by experts at the NSDA and successful educators across the country. Highlights include:
    • Exclusive access to videos of the most recent final round performances. Students can learn from watching successful peers!
    • Resources for competition and the classroom allow teachers and coaches to be efficient instead of seeking out multiple sources for materials.
    • Rather than paying hundreds of dollars per textbook for their classroom, teachers can access digital textbooks through the Resource Package to share with their students.
    Learn more about the Resource Package
    		   $199 ANNUAL
    Interested in learning about all of the benefits of NSDA membership? Find more information below!

    Explore NSDA Membership

    About Competition Events

    View NSDA Resources

    About the Honor Society