Empowering Youth through Legislation and Policy

We believe in youth.

At Big Thought, we believe that all youth have innate greatness and the potential to be and do whatever they set their young minds to. We envision communities where every young person is immersed and has the opportunity to imagine to Create Great.

For more than 30 years Big Thought is proud to say we have stood in the gap for youth. We exist to empower that greatness by equipping youth with not only the skills and resources needed for the 21st century workplace. Equally as important, we work to provide the space as agents of advocacy that support and lift their agency while also dismantling or rebuilding systems that impact a youth’s life and ability to succeed.

Protect & support Social Emotional Learning (SEL) policies for in– and out– of school time

Big Thought supports policies which integrate social emotional learning skills further into in– and out– of school time spaces. Throughout our 30+ year history of innovation, Big Thought has become an award-winning national model in arts education, out of school time systems, summer learning and juvenile justice intervention. Now, we’re one of six community partnerships in the U.S. helping scale national best practices in social and emotional learning.

Independent studies have demonstrated Social Emotional Learning programs benefit youth for months and even years, including increases in academic performance, SEL skills, positive attitudes and positive social behaviors. These gains are often paired with decreases in conduct problems, emotional stress and substance abuse. With these outcomes, the return on investment for SEL programs is 11 to 1. Further proof we do not have to choose between academics and teaching essential life skills. Creating a positive environment where students learn how to focus and be productive means more confident youth and higher academic achievement.

Strengthening Afterschool Sustainability

Afterschool programming provides several benefits for youth and families, including academic achievement, social and emotional learning, food security, and childcare support. Despite these well-acknowledged benefits, America After 3pm study by Afterschool Alliance found unmet demand for afterschool programs is at an all-time high. In areas of Dallas, there are not enough free or low-cost seats to serve even 10% of the student population, leaving a huge gap. Big Thought is working with Dallas Afterschool, Texas Partnership for Out of School Time (TXPOST) and other out-of-school time organizations to ensure critical funding supports for out-of-school time organizations can be maximized to benefit youth.

Support & advance Racial Equity Practices for youth

Big Thought believes all youth should have access to accurate information, honest conversations, and an understanding of our city, state and national history. We believe youth are best equipped when they are in empowering spaces which provide connections to inclusive experiences and access to culturally relevant and/or multicultural resources. We support local, state, and federal policies which invest in educating youth on history and the impact of institutional racism. Additionally, we support policies which prevent bans or censorship on educational materials for youth. These policies are imperative to creating socially aware, critical thinkers.

Community Action Team

Young people are at the center of everything Big Thought stands for. We know that when youth are given access, opportunities and resources they will transform their communities and the world around them. Big Thought’s Community Action Team (CAT) is using their collective voice and agency to advocate for changes they would like to see from the 88th legislative session. They support Senate Bill 112 – inclusion of mental health course in high school curriculum, and Senate Bill 113 (House Bill 98) – providing mental health services on school campuses. CAT members see how both bills promote mental health education, expand access to resources, and help individuals become healthier people for generations to come.   

Through policymaking and civic engagement, Big Thought supports CAT and other youth in their advocacy efforts.

Remove Barriers to supporting
youth runaway

Big Thought supports Senate Bill 83 and House Bill 77, both focused on repealing the status offense of running away from home. According to a report by The National Runaway Switchboard, more than 1.5 million youth experience a runaway episode each year. In Texas, the decision to leave home can have a lasting impact on youths’ lives, in large part because Texas can charge these youth with a status offense. Factors may lead youth to run away from home are often outside of their control — they may be leaving behind an unsafe or abusive environment, difficulties at school, or dealing with unmet mental health needs. Proposed legislation would decriminalize running away as a status offense and prohibit juvenile detention for youth who have run away. Instead, legislation would help redirect youth to emergency shelters and crisis intervention services through the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS). Proposed legislation also prevents status offenders of the remaining offenses from being held in a secure facility, either pre- or post-adjudication.