Executive Summary: Secondary Literacy

Dr. Briana Mezuk conducted a study of 12,179 Chicago Public Schools students, of whom 2,614 participated in the Chicago Debate League's urban debate program. She further examined outcomes for 2,614 African American male students, of whom 458 competed in urban debate.
Urban debaters had comparatively better secondary literacy skills than their non-debater peers as measured by scores on the language arts sections of the ACT, after controlling for previous academic achievement and socio-economic status.

Compared to their non-debating peers, African American males who participated in urban debate were 70 percent more likely to reach the ACT college readiness benchmark in Reading.
Compared to their non-debating peers, African American males who participated in urban debate were twice as likely to reach the ACT college readiness benchmark in English.
Compared to non-debaters, Chicago high school students in general who participated in urban debate were 50 percent more likely to reach the ACT college readiness benchmark in English.
Debate participation did not affect scores on the ACT Science or Mathematics tests, suggesting that debate participation, rather than self-selection, explains improved English and reading scores.