Policy
Success Sequence
Research shows that young people who finish high school, work full time, and wait until marriage to have children avoid poverty as adults 97% of the time. These life milestones, together known as the “success sequence,” represent a framework for strengthening upward mobility for Utah’s youth.
Sutherland Institute is working to promote these principles and remove barriers that make it harder for Utahns to achieve the success sequence. Through quality research, coalition building, and partnerships with local and national experts and leaders committed to upward mobility, Sutherland is elevating the importance and impact of education, work and family as key pillars of opportunity for the next generation.
Success Sequence
Research shows that young people who finish high school, work full time, and wait until marriage to have children avoid poverty as adults 97% of the time. These life milestones, together known as the “success sequence,” represent a framework for strengthening upward mobility for Utah’s youth.
Sutherland Institute is working to promote these principles and remove barriers that make it harder for Utahns to achieve the success sequence. Through quality research, coalition building, and partnerships with local and national experts and leaders committed to upward mobility, Sutherland is elevating the importance and impact of education, work and family as key pillars of opportunity for the next generation.
Research & Resources
Conversations
Is there consensus on solving poverty?
Equipping students with the tools of the success sequence #Success #SuccessSequence #Education
What is the success sequence and why does it make an impact? #success #SuccessSequence #education
Legislative wins for religious freedom, family policy and more in the 2024 session
A hand up, not a handout.
Crucial decisions for increasing the odds of success
How to defend against criticisms of the success sequence
The success sequence as an anti-poverty approach
How states can implement the success sequence
Is there consensus on solving poverty?
Equipping students with the tools of the success sequence #Success #SuccessSequence #Education
What is the success sequence and why does it make an impact? #success #SuccessSequence #education
Insights & Takeaways
CommentaryThe ‘success sequence’ is a bipartisan vision for upward mobility. Policymakers should embrace it
In our polarized political environment, it’s not often that an idea garners majority support across party affiliation, ideology, and demographic differences. New Sutherland Institute polling shows that the success sequence is just such a concept with broad resonance among likely voters in Utah.
Most likely voters in Utah support teaching ‘success sequence’ in schools, new Sutherland survey finds
Most likely voters in Utah agree with the concepts of the success sequence and support teaching them in public school, a new survey from Sutherland Institute finds.
CommentaryFor kids, marriage still matters
We should be teaching the ‘success sequence’ in public schools. Research has proven marriage’s value.
CommentaryHow to strengthen the ‘success sequence’ in Utah
Growing numbers of young adults across America — including here in Utah — are moving into adulthood without a durable connection to two benchmarks strongly connected to human well-being: work and marriage.
CommentaryWhy Utah students would benefit from the ‘success sequence’
As Utah leaders seek ways to improve upward mobility for our state’s youth, recent data sheds light on the importance of the family.
Five Family Policy Recommendations Unveiled in New Sutherland Institute Report
Sutherland Institute announced today a new report titled “The Utah Family Miracle: Five Policy Ideas to Keep Utah Families Strong and Stable.”
InsightsA look at the Love Notes curriculum
Evidence-based curriculum is aimed at helping kids create healthy relationships.
InsightsWhere could the success sequence fit in Utah academic standards?
Sutherland is reviewing the Utah Academic Standards and curriculum to find ways to bring this information to students in their prime decision-making years.
TakeawaysWhat you need to know about the ‘success sequence’
The Utah State Legislature is considering a resolution expressing support for the success sequence. Here are answers to common questions about the sequence.