COLUMBUS, Ohio — A bill that would require Ohio schools to encourage students to marry before having children is advancing in the Statehouse.
Senate Bill 156 would mandate that schools teach students in grades 6-12 about the “success sequence” — a life path that includes graduating from high school, obtaining full-time employment, and marrying before becoming parents. The bill had its third hearing in the House in March, one of the final steps before a full floor vote. If passed without amendments, the legislation would move to Gov. Mike DeWine for consideration.
Proponents say the bill aims to reduce poverty. The legislation cites research indicating that people who complete the three steps are “overwhelmingly less likely to live in poverty in adulthood.” The Ohio Department of Education would be tasked with developing an evidence-based curriculum on the success sequence for middle and high school students.
State Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, introduced the bill. He said the measure offers students a clear, nonpartisan path to success and provides local control by requiring the department to develop the curriculum with input from parents, educators, and district leaders.
“The Success Sequence works to empower individuals and families, and teaches the self-sufficiency and independence needed to prosper in today’s society,” Cutrona said.
However, critics argue the bill lacks flexibility for local districts and may not meet the needs of all students. Melissa Cropper, president of the Ohio Federation of Teachers, said a “one-size-fits-all” curriculum would not work for every district. She urged lawmakers to allow districts to determine their own approach to teaching the success sequence. Cropper also questioned the research supporting the bill.
“Those statistics are correlations derived from looking backward at adult lives,” Cropper said. “They do not study what happens when schools teach the Success Sequence as a curriculum, nor do they show that classroom instruction about this sequence actually causes better outcomes.”
Other opponents expressed concerns that the bill could stigmatize students from diverse family backgrounds. Nick Denton, an Ohio State University professor and education researcher, said the bill risks sending a message that only one family structure is acceptable.
“The bill’s teachings could make students from single-parent, blended, or LGBTQ+ households feel that their families are ‘wrong,’” Denton said.
Denton also said the bill oversimplifies the causes of poverty and does not account for factors such as lack of affordable housing, underfunded schools, or systemic barriers.
“We can teach students about multiple pathways to stability without endorsing a singular sequence of life choices or inadvertently marginalizing the very children most impacted by poverty,” Denton said.
Scott Phelps, who developed the original Success Sequence program, testified in support of the bill in February. He said teaching the sequence gives students practical guidance amid negative messages from social media and popular culture.
“Through no fault of their own, many of our youth are lost in a fog of confusion. Everywhere they turn, they are confronted by messages of despair. … Teaching the success sequence addresses and alleviates these fears,” Phelps told lawmakers.
S.B. 156 passed the Ohio Senate in October. State law requires at least three committee hearings before a full House vote. The bill has not yet been scheduled for a House vote and may receive additional hearings. The next scheduled House session is May 13, though the agenda has not been set.
A related measure, House Bill 269, stalled in the Ohio House. H.B. 269 would have required instruction on 15 “morals for a good life,” including abstinence, patriotism, and respect for religion, and would have allowed schools to invite religious and political groups to provide after-school instruction. That bill has not advanced since June 2025.