Over the 2015-16 academic year, an alternate version of the NASA Astrobiology Debates Topic was used by the Middle School Public Debate Program in middle school debate tournaments held across the country and, on May 21, 2016, at the NASA Astrobiology Debates DC Metro Middle School Debating Championship. The NASA Astrobiology Debates DC Metro Middle School Debating Championship was held on May 21, 2016, at The George Washington University in combination with the Middle School Public Debate DC Metro Middle School Championship sponsored by the Washington DC Branch of the English Speaking Union. During the NASA Astrobiology Debates DC Metro Middle School Debating Championship,over 100 middle school students debated the NASA Astrobiology Debates Middle School Topic.
The Middle School Division Topic is, "Resolved: No space exploration should be permitted without showing that it will not harm extraterrestrial microbial life." Over 2000 middle school students participated in the NASA Astrobiology Debates during the 2015-16 school year.