Why are they "supposed to be" that way?  When I was a kid, a foreign language was an elective first offered in high school.  And at least 90% of kids who took them left high school unable to have a real conversation in the language.  When introduced younger, language classes have much better results.  And immersion programs in elementary school result in bilingualism and billiteracy.  Of course, it has to be used or it will slowly fade.  Why should we do what we did 20 years ago if it didn't work?  And, what American kids are being hurt here?  English learners?  I also wonder if we're talking about the same thing.  I know at one point there was allegedly a program where the teacher would say something, translate it, say something else, translate.  That's not what dual programs are.  One language is spoken hours at a time.  Also, they're predominantly elementary school programs.  If a kid enters the school system at 16 speaking no English, that's hard, needs a different approach.