It's a little bit embarrassing how easy it is to go [through] K-12 public schooling and ... not know the first thing about history and citizenship.

Robert Pondiscio, a senior fellow at the Fordham Institute, a conservative education think tank, on the state of civics education in America. Arizona and North Dakota recently made passing the U.S. citizenship exam a requirement for high school graduation, and similar bills are pending in 19 states.