The Boston Debate League (BDL) is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with the Boston Public Schools (BPS) to support policy debate teams in middle and high schools and to train BPS teachers to use debate as part of their classroom practice.  For the last 15 years, the BDL has been bringing together an active community of students, teachers, administrators, and community leaders devoted to improving education and life skills of young people in Boston.  The BDL’s mission is to integrate argumentation and competitive debate into BPS schools to develop critical thinkers ready for college, career, and engagement with the world around them.

The BDL’s focus is to make a significant impact on the schools it serves by implementing two core programs, each with a proven track record of success over the last several years. After-School Debate (ASD), the BDL’s flagship program, builds debate teams open to all students who then have the opportunity to compete with students across the city. Through the Debate-Inspired Classrooms program, the BDL supports teachers with professional development sessions and instructional coaching as they use debate and argumentation to transform the academic atmosphere in their classrooms. Results have consistently shown the positive impact of debate and argumentation on students and classrooms. For example, students who participate in debate teams have demonstrated significantly higher performance on many of the standard indicators of college readiness, including standardized tests, GPAs, and Advanced Placement tests. BDL’s long term vision is a world where all young people are engaged in critical discourse, informed by evidence, and empowered to lead.

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Boston Debate League

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