A paradox marks bilingual education in the United States. On the one hand, many states encourage high school students to learn a second language by awarding them seals of biliteracy on their diplomas. On the other, young children who come to school with skills in languages other than English are not encouraged to retain these skills and are even penalized for using them. Yet bilingual education benefits all children, including native English speakers. State policymakers can unlock the full benefits of bilingual education by supporting dual language learners from an early age and expanding access for English-only speakers.