Success Sequence Act Heads to Governor Bill Lee’s Desk

The Tennessee General Assembly recently approved legislation to provide Tennessee students with instruction on a life plan that is proven to promote prosperity.

The Success Sequence Act, sponsored by State Rep. Gino Bulso, R-Brentwood, updates Tennessee’s family life curriculum by adding instruction on the success sequence, which includes obtaining a high school degree, entering the workforce or pursuing a post-secondary degree or credential, getting married then having children.

Ninety-seven percent of millennials (adults aged 32-38) who followed the success sequence avoided poverty in adulthood, including more than 95% of black and Hispanic adults, according to a report from the American Enterprise Institute (AEI). Conversely, more than half of millennial adults who failed to follow the sequence entirely found themselves in poverty.

“The success sequence is a proven way to flourish and it’s essential that we convey this vital information to Tennessee children,” Bulso said. “The nuclear family and these other important milestones have a rich tradition in our nation, and the evidence overwhelmingly demonstrates that someone who follows this order of life events has an exponentially higher probability of success. Our state will continue thriving if we invest in strong children and provide them with a wealth of resources and guidance.”

Children who grow up in traditional nuclear families consisting of a married mother and father are healthier, earn higher grades and are less likely to have behavioral or emotional issues, a study published in the peer-reviewed journal Linacre Quarterly found. Research consistently shows that education leads to increased wages and earnings in adulthood, with one study finding annual earnings rise by roughly 20% for each educational level achieved, according to a report from the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation within the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

A majority of American parents, 76%, say they support teaching the success sequence in public schools, including 85% of Republicans, 70% of Democrats and 72% of people who did not follow the sequence, the AEI reports.

House Bill 178 seeks to provide Tennessee students with instruction and evidence regarding the positive personal and societal outcomes that result from following the success sequence. Family life curriculum is taught to students in grades 5-9 in Tennessee. Parents can opt their children out of instruction.

The Success Sequence Act now heads to Gov. Bill Lee’s desk to be signed into law.

The legislation will take effect on July 1, 2026, and instruction will begin in the 2026-27 school year.