In the last decade, the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) has mandated proficiency requirements for teacher candidates at nationally recognized universities and published a position statement recommending teachers use 90% or more of the world language during instruction. The author explains reform is more successful when change is initiated simultaneously from the top and bottom in pursuit of the same goals. Researchers and consultants need to provide teachers with on-site, experiential professional development on proficiency-based methods in order for world language education to improve in a meaningful and viable way.