Update on the 2011/12 Allstate Coach Incentives for Increased Participation

The 2011/12 Allstate Coach Incentives for Increased Participation are awarded to coaches at schools that increase their level of tournament participation this season over last season. In the first semester, schools are awarded $100 for every 6 more debaters they have participating at CDL tournaments this year (T1 – T3, 2011/12) over last year (T1 – T3, 2010/11). (Note that first-year schools can earn these incentives too, by exceeding by 6 or more debaters the minimum Participation Standard for them: 12 debaters at T1 – T3.)

After Tournament Two, some schools have already earned incentive money, since they have had six or more debaters at T1 – T2, than they had at T1 – T3 last season. You can check out the full list of Allstate Coach Incentives for Increased Participation on this specific tracking form.

The document shows that a fairly large number of schools are positioned to earn incentives at T3, and that the size of their incentive will depend on their level of student participation at T3. So, to take one example, Bowen H.S. has had 12 total debaters at T1 and T2, and as a first-year school their “2010/11 baseline” that we plug in for them is 12 debaters at T1 – T3 (the minimum Participation Standard). If they have 6 debaters at T3 (18 total at T1 – T3) they will earn a $100 Allstate Incentive. If they have 9 (or 10) debaters at T3, the incentive will increase to $150, 12 debaters and it will hit $200.

Let’s take another example. VOISE has already earned a $200 Allstate Incentive for having 13 more tournament debaters at T1 and T2 this year than they had at T1 – T3 last year. If VOISE has 11 (or 12) tournament debaters at T3, VOISE will earn another $200 Allstate Incentive.

The obvious conclusion to draw here is that doing additional recruiting, and adding new debaters to your squad for T3, will earn you coaching incentives. This is Allstate’s intention. They, like the Chicago Debate Commission and Chicago Public Schools, are committed to rewarding coaches who make the additional effort to get more students engaged in academic debate, because they believe, as does the CDC and CPS, that this converts into academic outcomes: lowered achievement gap, higher ACT scores, greater college readiness for more urban public school students.

Overall, the Chicago Debate Commission has given out nearly $28,000 in coach and program incentives so far this year. The Incentive Payment Tracking Form allows coaches to track their incentive earnings. The CDC is on course to dole out about $75,000 in coach and program incentives this year. The CDC is investing in a large number of debate programs around the city of Chicago, programs that are excelling. Keep tuned in here to hear about additional incentive opportunities, and plan your recruiting and squad-expansion efforts for T3!