The 2017 Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages was held at the Palmer House Hilton in downtown Chicago. The theme focused on moving students from knowing about the language to becoming proficient in the language. The conference boasted 328 sessions and workshops. This report contains conference articles that focus on developing proficiency from PK-16. Topics include the promotion and assessment of performance and proficiency in a variety of contexts, and through the use of multiple technologies. Articles also explore the possibilities that exist for intercultural understanding, community engagement, and advocacy for language learning.