Mission and Vision

Our vision

A world where every student has an unobstructed path to access Computer Science education and pursue fulfilling careers in technology.

Our Mission

Bold Idea creates access to Computer Science in under-resourced communities and prepares students for the technology careers of the future.

The problem

Computer Science skills are critical to succeed in today’s economy, but too many students – especially those from diverse backgrounds and experiences – are excluded from Computer Science. In school districts across the country, girls and Black and Latinx students are all underrepresented in Computer Science education. Few schools have the budget for curriculum, qualified teachers, and other resources to teach the subject, especially for the youngest learners in elementary and middle school, and it’s setting students behind.

This digital skills opportunity gap is a problem because learning Computer Science is critical for college and career success. Computing jobs are the top source of new wages in the U.S., and a Computer Science major can earn 40% more than the college average. It is especially glaring in Dallas, an area that hosts one-third of all high-tech jobs in Texas and the 6th largest concentration of high-tech jobs in the U.S. A recent report by CompTIA projects that the Dallas tech workforce will grow by 17% over the next ten years. Today’s 3rd grade students will be graduating high school seniors in ten years.

Our approach

Bold Idea is committed to removing the barriers that prevent many students from accessing this valuable learning. Thanks to contributions from corporate partners and other donors, our ideaSpark Coding Clubs program is free for Dallas ISD students to participate. By partnering with a student's school, Bold Idea removes the geographic barrier to participation. Bold Idea also donates gently-used laptop computers to students participating at home who don’t have access to a device.

Collaboration is key in creating more equitable access to Computer Science education. We partner with schools, districts, community organizations, and corporations in north Texas - together, preparing more girls and Black and Latinx students to succeed in our digital workforce.

Whether Computer Science education takes place after-school, on the weekend, or through distance learning, we seek to:

>> Prioritize students in under-resourced communities and create opportunities for learning Computer Science where opportunities do not exist due to historical and institutional barriers.

>> Deliver high-quality after-school programs. Recognizing the importance of high-quality programs and strong partnerships, we will assess, improve, and implement programs core to the mission of Bold Idea.

>> Offer students a multi-year pathway to build critically-needed Computer Science skills through project-based learning and mentoring from industry professionals.

>> Set the foundation for our work in 3rd, 4th and 5th grades programming. We will then scale elements of it to focus on the middle and high school levels after adjusting curriculum, respectively.

>> Use data to make decisions about program components and effectiveness.

>> Create an equitable learning environment that invites different viewpoints and respects the unique qualities of each person.