The Cuéntame Collaborative

Make Way for Books, in partnership with Helios Education Foundation, is working to create and strengthen culturally-responsive, optimal learning environments to ensure young children develop emergent literacy and language skills, social emotional skills, and positive approaches to learning that are critical for kindergarten readiness and future grade-level reading.

The Cuéntame Collaborative, an initiative implemented in Pima County, is designed to improve the quality of children’s learning experiences through a network of high-quality, home-based early care and education settings that align with the Cuéntame curriculum and framework co-developed with the University of Arizona. Through its parallel family engagement strategy, Cuéntame also addresses equity for the 4 out of 5 children who do not have access to high-quality early education.

Cuéntame has two significant meanings—Count Me In and Tell Me. With an emphasis on social justice, the initiative addresses marginalization, equity, and the opportunity gap through a model that integrates the perspectives, experiences, and voices of families and providers, empowering these stakeholders to tell their stories and share their knowledge.

Click below to watch a short video to learn more about the Cuéntame Collaborative and its impact on home-based care providers, caregivers, and their children.