Ohio lawmakers passed an education bill that requires public schools to include the Success Sequence in the state curriculum as a graduation requirement. So, what is this magic marker of success that lawmakers think students ought to know?
It’s simple:
- Graduate from high school
- Get a job
- And get married before having children
Lawmakers suggest that instilling the value of this sequence into America’s future will set them up for success, and they have the statistics to prove it. Research by the American Enterprise Institute and the Institute for Family Studies show that 97% of adults who follow this sequence are not poor.
The report on the sequence continues;
Young adults from disadvantaged circumstances who follow the sequence are markedly more likely to overcome challenges and achieve economic success. The vast majority of black (96%) and Hispanic (97%) Millennials who followed this sequence are not poor in their mid-30s (ages 32-38), as is also the case for 94% of Millennials who grew up in lower-income families and 95% of those who grew up in non-intact families.
Implementing the Success Sequence curriculum aims to reverse familial trends by equipping students with practical, proven steps towards economic success. Many students do not come from intact families and lack examples of this life pattern. They are often unaware of different lifestyles and the advantages of changing direction. But the “success” stretches far beyond economic and social status.
These steps build a foundation for strong family life. It is an achievement young students can grasp early, which continues to pay off for generations to follow. Statistically, children who grow up in married homes are less likely to have behavioral issues, use drugs, or participate in violent and criminal behavior. Unfortunately, boys raised without married fathers are more likely to end up in prison than graduate from college. Additionally, girls from single-parent homes are more than twice as likely to have a child outside of wedlock.
Concerned Women for America Legislative Action Committee (CWALAC) is quick to praise the importance of strong family life and champion policies that encourage family formation. That’s because our nation depends on it. What was once common sense is now frequently ignored, leading to harmful cycles caused by weak families. The Success Sequence empowers the next generation to get our country back on track by promoting a reliable foundation that is proven to bring success.
Tennessee, Indiana, and Utah all passed Success Sequence (or “good citizenship”) bills in spring 2025, promoting awareness of the statistical promise of the sequence in the public school system. Ohio could be next.
The Ohio State Legislature passed SB 276 last week with a 24-9 majority in the Senate and a 60-38 majority in the House. Every Democrat in both chambers voted against the bill. The Senate sponsor, Sen. Al Cutrona (R-Canfield), said the success sequence “provides students with the tools to steer them away from poverty, setting Ohio’s youth on a path to a brighter tomorrow.” Rep. Sarah Fowler-Arther (R-Ashtabula), the House sponsor, said, “This gives young people tools to make informed decisions about education, work, family, and their future stability.”
Ohio is among the top ten states in the country for public school attendance, and the bill requires they all hear about “the positive personal and societal outcomes associated with the success sequence” before graduating.
The bill was sent to Gov. Mike DeWine’s desk, and he has not yet signed the bill.
