2025 Policy Debate Topic Selection Meeting

July 31 - August 3 
Austin, Texas
The Westin Austin Downtown
310 East 5th Street
Austin, TX 78701

Register Now!

For additional information/details regarding this meeting, please contact Chris Paulson (cpaulson@nfhs.org) at the NFHS.

**Current Year Updates
**The Final Policy Debate Topic for 2025-2026 will be announced on January 10, 2025.  To understand how we got to this point in the process, please review the articles linked below.

• 5 Suggested Topics for 2025-26, which came from the 2025 Topic Selection Meeting

• 2 Topics Remain as finalists for the 2025-2026 National High School Policy Debate Topic

• Arctic Selected as 2025-2026 National Policy Debate Topic

• Novice Case Limits for "Arctic"

2025 NFHS Policy Debate Topic Selection Meeting - General Info

• Detailed Agenda / Schedule – schedule posted Thursday, April 17, 2025.  May be edited or updated closer to official meeting dates.

• Things to Do in Austin – use this resource published by the Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau to find unique places to eat, shop, and listen to music.

• Register Here – use this link to register for the 2025 Policy Debate Topic Selection Meeting.

• Hotel Registration– use this quick link to book your hotel stay in Austin.  The NFHS has secured special pricing with the Westin Austin Downtown (Marriott property).

• Policy Debate Quarterly (Pre-Order / Purchase Now!) – Policy Debate Quarterly is the premier resource for the current year’s Policy Debate Topic.

Topic Author - Information

• 2024-25 Topic Selection Handbook – Information for current and future authors, including timelines, writing criteria, stipend structures, and more.

• Archive of Topic Reports from previous years (2019-present)

• Meeting Materials – this page will be activated in mid-July, approximately two weeks before the 2025 Policy Debate Topic Selection Meeting, and it will contain all pertinent information and tools for attendees to use during the meeting.

• Resource Video - this video may help new topic authors to familiarize themselves with the topic paper writing process.

• Timeline for 2024-2025 – graphic detailing Topic Selection Procedures