Welcome to 2023!
Please check the academics web page
for current information and forms, but feel free to contact us when you have questions or need assistance.
ACADEMICS
SpeechWire online entry system for Academic Meets
This year, schools will enter students via SpeechWire for the Academic and Speech District Meets. Information will be sent to coordinators well before entry deadlines detailing the process of entering students for the District Academic Meet in March. This will involve only the 22 district spring meet events held in March. One-Act Play and CX Debate will continue to utilize the Spring Meet Online Entry System this year.
Invitational Meets
A list of Academic Invitational Meets and Tournaments, with registration and contact information for the host, is posted on the Invitational Meets webpage.
District Academic Meets
District academic meet directors are posted on the UIL website.
If you do not know the dates, location and schedule for your spring academic meet, please contact your meet director. If your academic meet director is not on the list and you know who your director is, please let us know. Please note district academic meets may be held March 20-25 only. District spring speech events can be held March 20-April 1.
Entering Six Contestants in Spring Team Events: In
spring meet contests with a team component, each school may enter as many as four individuals in the district meet, or a maximum of six individuals with District Executive Committee approval. This change applies to high school Accounting, Calculator Applications, Computer Science, Current Issues and Events, Literary Criticism, Mathematics, Number Sense, Social Studies, and Spelling and Vocabulary. The sum of the top three overall scores from each school constitutes the team score for the school, with the fourth highest scoring member serving as the tiebreaker. These four individuals make up the team. All four members of the first place or wild card teams advance to the next level of competition. All team members who qualify to regional or state will also compete for individual honors.
Regional Academic Meets
Information regarding dates and locations of region meets will be posted at this site when the information is provided to UIL. Schedules and handbooks should be posted by February.
Spring State Meet
The State Meet for academics and speech will be held May 17-18. This is a change from previous years precipitated by calendar changes of AP and state testing, UT graduation and other UIL events. We are working on scheduling details to post in early February that will be posted on the State Meet webpage.
Spelling and Vocabulary
An audio file will again be available for district and region meets that can be used as a substitute for an in-person pronouncer. The pronouncer at state will be in-person.
Essay Contests
The UIL essay contest deadline is next month. Information about these unique and rewarding contests is found
here, and students may submit their essay
here by the Feb. 15 deadline.
JOURNALISM
Copy Editing Rule Clarification
Part 3 of the Copy Editing contest is required but will only be evaluated in the event of a tie. Students in a tie situation who do not attempt Part 3 will be disqualified and will not place. See the
UIL Journalism Handbook or contact Alyssa Boehringer with any questions.
Free Workshop
Save the date for the free Gloria Shields NSPA Media Workshop spring adviser one day workshop on Monday, Feb. 6 at the Richardson ISD Professional Development Center from 8:30-3:00. Alyssa Boehringer will be there to give tips for success in the UIL journalism contests and ILPC.
Register by Jan. 30.
ILPC Spring Deadline
The deadline for newspaper, online news and broadcast critiques and IAAs is Feb. 15.
ILPC Spring Convention
Registration is open for the ILPC Spring Convention. Join us for a weekend of networking, sessions from journalism professionals and celebrating our successes.
SPEECH & DEBATE
Congress
The state championship was held the first week in January at UT and the Texas State Capitol and was a great success. 183 schools from across the Lone Star State were represented. Results are posted.
CX Debate
District: District meets are underway. Schools may enter three teams. If the district has fewer than eight teams participating, schools with a full entry may enter a 4th team.
Visit the CX Information Hub for information on procedures, required forms and deadlines related to the State Tournament.
As you work on documentation for this season, review the official rulings posted on the Oral Interpretation webpage. New categories for the 2023-24 school year will be announced in May. We are seeking suggestions from coaches and competitors. Submit ideas,
here.
Extemporaneous Speaking
Informative and Persuasive practice topics are located here.
along with outstanding training videos featuring a UIL state champion and NSDA national champion.
Lincoln Douglas Debate
The spring topic to be debated at District, Region and State is: Resolved: Term limits for members of the United States Congress are justified.
THEATRE
High School One Act Play
“Has my play been approved?” We understand your need to know, however, please do not call the office to check on the status. We are processing the scripts as quickly as possible. You will receive an email with the decision. 372 plays received this year!
• Feb. 10: High School OAP Title Entry Deadline. System is open.
contests (for contest managers and meet directors, only)
"What is the date of our first contest?" Reach out to your contest manager for this and other information including the deadline for your contestant entry form.
Film
Film State Festival is Feb. 22 at LBJ Auditorium at UT Austin. The schedule will be posted soon. The Contest Entry portal is open. Please do not allow students to submit film entries. A faculty member or administrator must do it.
The deadline for Film contest entries is Jan. 18. Instructions on how to submit your entry can be found on Film webpage.
Experienced Film judges needed! Email Paula Rodriguez if you are interested in this rapidly growing contest.
Theatrical Design
Feb. 18 is the entry deadline. You can find the updated handbook and resources on the Theatrical Design webpage.
Theatrical Design Questions? Contact contest director Rachael Gomez.
