Parents | Two Decades Academy

Information for Parents

Two Decades Academy (TDA) is a selective education institution for high-impact students, with interest or skill in politics, international relations, diplomacy, debate, or any other related field.

We offer After School Classes, with supplemental activities including conferences and practice debates, Camps, Mentored Projects, and local, national, and international field studies called Explorations.

All of our programs are academically rigorous and require an application and, at a minimum, an interview with our Educational Director, Simon. Entry into one program does not guarantee entry into another, and students are invited back each year based on their performance and motivation.

9 signs your student will thrive at

Two Decades Academy

Not all high-impact students display an outward interest in public issues and debate upon entry; in our experience, many will see their motivation grow alongside their knowledge. Throughout the years we have gathered common behaviors or traits of students who do well in and after our program.

Interested in news stories about community issues, politics, economics, business, or foreign cultures, or any public issue

Interested in debates, public speaking, mock trial, or business simulators

Has an academic interest in history, diplomacy, economics, politics, or different cultures

Involved in Student Government, or runs for Class or School President (successfully or not)

Interested in theater, storytelling, or artistic performance

Has an international background, or who has parents who have lived in different countries

Thrives in participatory classes and immersive learning

Academically proficient but are characterized as rebellious or outspoken by teachers

Often finds themselves debating with siblings, friends, teachers, and parents

Grade Levels

For our After School Program we accept applicants from 7th through 12th graders, who have the time, motivation, and merit to attend one weekly class and half of the supplemental activities.

For our Summer Camps we accept incoming 7th-12th grade students who are or aspire to be high-impact, at any level of debate experience, and who may or may not have an existing interest in politics, international relations, diplomacy, or any other related field. We have countless former students whose passions were born at our camps!

Tuition Information

TDA is possible through tuition provided by the benefactors of our students.

The Tuition amount for the 2019- 2020 year is $3850.
Try the first four weeks for free, no commitment.
Payment options and Financial Aid available.
Summer camps are $790/week, early bird pricing available until Mar 01

Because we are committed to including students from all socio-economic levels, we dedicate 20% of all of our tuition income to our Financial Aid Fund, and we offer tuition relief or payment plans for those who cannot afford the program. The Financial Aid Fund will also assist students with merit and drive for costs associated with conference and debate attendance (flights, hotel, etc).

If you are able to furnish the full tuition amount, a portion of those funds will be dedicated to Financial Aid for students who cannot meet the full amount. If you wish to fund, anonymously or not, another student to TDA, we will welcome and value your generosity. We are a for-profit organization, and therefore we cannot issue any form of tax credit for donations.

Locations and Schedule

We offer classes according to the following schedule, locations and grade level:

- Tuesday: San Francisco, Middle School, 4-6 pm.

- Wednesday: Palo Alto, Middle School 4-6 pm.

- Thursday: San Francisco, High School 4-6 pm.

- Friday: Palo Alto, High School 4-6 pm.

Classes are held from mid-September to early May.

Supplemental Activities for our AfteR School Program

In-depth overviews of our supplemental activities can be found here.

We provide opportunities for students enrolled in our After School Program to prepare for and attend vetted conferences and TDA practice debate to apply the skills mastered in our classes.

We offer local, national, and international Explorations, which are field studies that immerse students in ground zero of social issues through the study and practice of qualitative research and analysis methods, and policy design.

For the Middle School After-School Program, we offer the following supplemental activities:

One Day Practice Debates twice per year
Three Day Conferences twice per year hosted by a third party per year (MUN, Model Congress, Model Parliament)
Local and National Issue Exploration programs, by invitation

For the High School After-School Program we offer the following supplemental activities:

2 High School Debate Conferences per year hosted by a third party (MUN, Model Congress, Model Parliament)
One Day Practice Debates twice per year
Local, National, and International Issue Exploration programs, by invitation

Our Explorations programs are offered generally twice per year. These activities carry additional costs. Financial aid and payment options will be available for 20% of students. There are local, national, and international Exploration opportunities. Exploration curriculum design is led by Simon and co-created with Design & Innovation firm Staircase Strategy.