In schools across the country, many students who consistently score below their white peers on state standardized tests are English language learners (ELLs). Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and the reauthorized ESEA under President Obama, all 50 states are and will be required to have English language proficiency (ELP) standards and state assessments aligned to those ELP standards. Every school's ELL population must show yearly growth in English language proficiency and must meet state standards on state exams in English. Education departments in colleges and universities must adequately prepare bilingual teacher candidates to meet the challenges of increased accountability for the ELLs they will educate. This paper will explore the linguistic conundrum bilingual teacher candidates must consider regarding teaching ELLs in English verses the native language as well as the dispositions bilingual teacher candidates need to exhibit in their work with ELLs. (Contains 2 figures.)