According to the NAEP (National Assessment Governing Board), 8th graders students are scoring below proficient in civics and history. To truly involve everyone in government, students must first be informed. People should feel confident in how to vote and run for office. This cannot just start in high school. Elementary aged students must also be aware of the importance of government and what it means to be an American; our basic rights and principles of freedom. Law makers are proposing that all high school students in Alabama should be required to pass the American citizenship exam. While this may be controversial to some, it will address the basics tenets of what it means to be an American.