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YOUNGSTOWN — The Ohio Senate approved legislation sponsored by state Sen. Al Cutrona, R-Canfield, that requires the creation of a curriculum that teaches students in grades six to 12 to marry before having children.

The “Success Sequence Curriculum” bill is a three-pronged approach that teaches students to complete at least a high school education, obtain full-time work and marry before having children.

Cutrona says the approach makes it less likely for people to live in poverty in adulthood.

The Republican-controlled Ohio Senate adopted the bill Wednesday. It now heads to the state House of Representatives, which is also controlled by Republicans, for consideration.

Cutrona and his wife, Logan, were married in May and recently announced they are expecting a child.

“Promoting the success sequence in schools gives Ohio’s youngest citizens direction to make the best next steps for their future,” Cutrona said. “Providing students with the tools to steer them away from poverty sets Ohio’s youth on a path to a brighter tomorrow. This bill gives our state an excellent opportunity to move a generation forward.”

The bill instructs the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce to develop a model curriculum on the success sequence for students in grades six through 12 with instruction provided in at least one course required for high school graduation.

School districts can use the model curriculum adopted by the state department or can modify it as appropriate for the district.

During his April 1 sponsorship testimony, Cutrona said: “The Success Sequence is a pathway that can help youth thrive and achieve optimal health, all the while heightening financial literacy and acting as a catalyst for poverty avoidance. Regardless of partisan beliefs, this legislation is a framework for a better future for all Ohioans.”

The bill received supporting testimony from the Center for Christian Virtue, the American Enterprise Institute and the Institute for Family Studies, among other organizations.

Among those testifying in opposition were Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, Abortion Forward, Ohio Equal Rights, the Secular Education Association and American Atheists.