Constitutional Education Programs

Mock Congressional Hearings Competition

Classes from throughout Florida at the middle and high school levels may register to participate in mock congressional hearings to demonstrate their knowledge and understanding of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. The Center provides grade-level specific hearing questions for middle and high school classes. Teachers prepare their classes to respond to specific questions based on the rules of competition. Each class should be divided into six groups and assigned to one of the six corresponding content areas.

The congressional hearing model requires students to prepare a preliminary statement delivered during the simulation. Following the prepared statement, a question and answer segment follows with judges, attorneys, and professors as well as other community members.

The state hearings are held annually in late January, for both high school and middle school students.

National competitions for the We the People…the Citizen and the Constitution program will be held in 2027 for eligible teams that advance from the state competition.

Some districts inclusing Marion County host elementary mock congressional showcases.

Training and professional development opportunities are available for teachers in Florida. Contact apitts@flsouthern.edu. Please let us know if you have any questions, are new to the program and need training, or have specific needs to participate.

Resources

The We the People...the Citizen and the Constitution program provide elementary, middle, and high school students with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of the U. S. Constitution and strengthen their communication, critical thinking, and reasoning skills. Some schools utilize the We the People textbooks or resources.