Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Texas Citizen Bee?
The Texas Citizen Bee is a statewide civic education program and competition with two levels. First, registered students participate in one of twenty regional competitions. (Refer to the map on the registration page to identify your school’s region and to register for the correct competition.) Second, winners from each regional contest advance to the State Citizen Bee contest held in Austin. Students prepare for both levels using the Study Guide available on the Citizen Bee website.

Is the competition open to all types of schools?
All public, private, home, and parochial schools are welcome to participate. However, students can only participate in the regional competition where their school is located.

What grade levels are eligible to participate?
Grades 9-12

***NEW–Beginning with the 2028 Citizen Bee competition cycle, a student who wins 1st place at the State Citizen Bee will no longer be eligible to compete at future regional and state competitions. ***  

Where can I find out details about the regional competition?
The Citizen Bee website has details on the competition, including the Rules. The regional coordinator will share specific guidelines for the individual regional competitions.  

What are the prizes at the Regional Competition?
1st Place—$250 gift card—Qualifies for the State Citizen Bee in Austin. On the Friday before the state competition, students, parents, and teachers will participate in a “Capitol Experience” where they will enjoy speakers and tours of the Capitol complex.

2nd Place–$100 gift card

3rd Place–$50 gift card

What are the prizes at the state-level competition?
Students:

1st Place–$5000

2nd Place–$2500

3rd Place–$1000

Sponsor Awards:

1st Place–$1000

2nd Place–$750

3rd Place–$500

What do I study for the Citizen Bee?
The website contains the content that will be tested, except for the current events section. We provide dates and topics for the Current Events category in the Rules and Procedures given to the teachers and students when they register.

Can I use a PDF study guide from a previous year to study?
No, please destroy all copies of the old PDF guide, as the content is reorganized and updated each year. The revised guide will be available on the website in September.  

Who can act as a student’s sponsor?
A teacher, principal, librarian, parent, or guardian may serve as a sponsor and register a student. To be eligible for the sponsor prize at the state competition, sponsors must actively participate in the student’s preparation.   

Does each student need a monitor?
Yes, if any part of the competition is virtual, each student must have a monitor visible on camera during the competition. The monitor can supervise more than one student if they can walk from student to student and remain on the camera. A parent or guardian should not serve as the monitor. Therefore, if a participating student is homeschooled, we ask that the parent find a non-relative adult to serve as the monitor.  

How do I register for a regional competition?
Registration for the competition must be completed by a teacher, parent, or guardian as a sponsor.  The sponsor will go to the Regional Registration Chart to find the Google link for your respective region.  The regional coordinator’s name and email are also provided for any additional questions about the competition. Once the teacher/sponsor has registered, they will receive a registration link from the coordinator for the students to register.   

How many students can one teacher/sponsor register for the regional contest?
Teachers may register as many students as they want to compete, unless the regional coordinator has set a limit for each school.    

What do I do if I need help registering my student?
Please contact Kim Boen, State Citizen Bee Coordinator, at txcitizenbee@gmail.com  for assistance.

Can I compete this year if I have competed in prior years?
Yes, you can.  However, beginning with the 2028 competition, a student who wins 1st place at state will not be eligible to participate in future regional or state competitions.  

If I win my Regional Competition, what’s next?
Each regional winner will advance to the state competition. 

Who funds the Texas Citizen Bee Competition?
Law Focused Education, Inc. receives funding from the Sumners Foundation to administer the Texas Citizen Bee. The website is maintained by Law Focused Education, Inc., and the State Bar of Texas Law-Related Education Department.

Who can I contact if I find factual errors in the Texas Citizen Bee Study Guide?
Challenges regarding the accuracy of any material in The Texas Citizen Bee Study Guide must be submitted in writing. The teacher/sponsor should email the concern to txcitizenbee@gmail.com or to Jan Miller at jan.miller@texasbar.com no later than January 15 of the competition year.