Skagit/Islands Head Start (SIHS) in Washington State has always taken pride in its high-quality learning program. But in spring 2002, a problem was discovered: the child assessments from 13 centers serving children from birth to age 5 indicated that although Spanish-speaking 3-year-olds entered with language and literacy skills at a level similar…

In this article, the authors discuss some myths about culture and literacy based on the deficit perspective, and add their voices to those advocating a contrasting transformational perspective. They present evidence for the importance of looking closely and respectfully at interactions among children and families to better understand their many…