While research does exist on how teachers feel about multicultural education or bilingual education, very little data exists on how teachers cognitively construct a core concept of these educational approaches--cultural difference. This article describes the investigation of this understanding among 155 teachers in midwestern USA from rural, urban and suburban schools across grade levels. Utilizing data from the Intercultural Development Inventory, one important finding reveals the degree to which teachers minimize cultural differences. Implications for teacher education are discussed. (Contains 3 tables.)