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In February 2004, a group of bilingual educators met at the National Association for Bilingual Education Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico to discuss the most pressing issues with regard to research and practice in bilingual education programs. Educators in attendance included practitioners, researchers, and school administrators in dual language programs, transitional bilingual programs and English medium programs. Unlike other meetings where there is an attempt to whittle down multiple major issues, at this meeting, there was unanimity that the major instructional issue in the field was that of “transition.” The audience of over 350 people agreed that “issues in transition” whether they be transition to English from native language instruction or transition to biliteracy as in the case of language maintenance and dual language programs was a matter with which program leaders and teachers were struggling. Particular concerns with regard to transition included: 1) The reality that transition was, in fact, an oxymoron. Children were in bilingual programs and native language instruction one day, and in all English instruction the next. There was, in fact, no transition; 2) Related to number one, there were no transitional curriculum materials particularly in literacy to assist teachers in helping children make transitions; 3) Teachers themselves did not feel prepared to address transition issues adequately; 4) There was little research available to guide practice with regard to transition; and 5) Most importantly, children who were doing well in school while they were in bilingual and dual language programs did not do well after being transitioned to all …