Archbridge Institute highlights policies that can work for all.

When the Archbridge Institute issued its latest Social Mobility in the 50 States report last December, it listed Utah No. 1. What’s Utah doing right?

This summer, the Institute followed up with another report, State Solutions to Empower Upward Mobility, and allowed Gov. Spencer Cox a chance to explain what the Beehive State is doing that other states could adopt.

“… More than 25 years ago, Utah started consolidating public assistance programs and employment programs under one roof. The Utah Department of Workforce Services became a one-stop-shop for food, medical, child care, utility and financial assistance as well as unemployment insurance, vocational rehabilitation, and help with skill-building and job searching. By operating in a unified way, the department has streamlined how it delivers resources to those families and individuals who need it most and has become a national model other states are trying to follow.”

There are, according to the Institute, four pillars of social mobility, “Entrepreneurship and Growth, Institutions and the Rule of Law, Education and Skills Development, and Social Capital. Scores for each pillar were combined and weighted equally to create a state’s overall social mobility score.”

Although Utah came out best in the nation for social mobility, the report did cite some rooms for improvement, “Utah performs well in several key areas, including business dynamism (2nd), parent engagement and stability (3rd), and charity (6th). However, Utah could further support social mobility by addressing its lower scores for education quality and freedom (29th) and predatory state action (27th), both of which rank in the bottom half of the nation.”

NFIB likes to think a great part of Utah’s success is due to its pro-small-business policies and we are working to make sure it stays that way for generations to come.

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