Judge Training
Your Judge Training Hub for the 2023-2024 year!
Welcome, and thank you for taking the time to become a better judge for our students! Here you will find a variety of resources to help you understand your role and excel as a judge. If you are new to speech and debate and have an interest in judging, this page will guide you through what you need to know in order to be successful. If you are not new but are interested in learning about a new event, or are refreshing your understanding, feel free to jump around and find the content that applies directly to you.
Please note that these guides refer to general practices at NSDA tournaments; your state or local leagues may have slightly different rules and norms, so be sure to check in with your tournament’s director about any major differences!
Introductory Courses
Judging Speech
Judging Debate
Judging Congress
FAQs
What is the NSDA’s role in this process?
The NSDA is offering this board as service to tournament directors, schools, teams, and judges. The NSDA in no way endorses the judges that offer their time. Each school should follow their district/school’s applicable policies for hiring and vetting. Additionally, the NSDA will not be involved in any financial agreement between a school and a judge.
How much should judges get paid?
Schools and judges determine their own rates. A commonly observed rate is around $20-$30 per hour-long round.
How often is this list updated?
Judges have signed up on the judge board within this academic year. The list is cleared each July and judges must sign-up again for the next academic year.
Who can sign up to judge?
Anyone who has graduated high school is welcome to sign up to judge. From there, each school should follow its district/school’s applicable policies for hiring and vetting. Additionally, the NSDA will not be involved in any financial agreement between a school and a judge.
Who should I contact with my questions and/or concerns about this process?
Please direct your emails to Elgin Woody at eli.woody@speechanddebate.org
Sign Up to Judge
Interested in being a judge for NSDA-affiliated and/or school-affiliated tournaments? Sign up below!
Judges are some of the most vital contributors to the speech and debate community. For many tournaments, judges are the limiting factor without which tournaments would not be possible.
Sign up below to use your skills and expertise so more students can compete in speech and debate!