Checking in on childcare: PIECE program progress

As the first practical measure taken by Petersburg’s Early Childhood Education Task Force, the PIECE program is nearing the mark of its first year in action. So far, eight childcare provider employees across three services in Petersburg have received a first round of fiscal incentives under the program. For some, the extra benefits have given them a positive boost toward higher education; for others, the bonus check has not provided enough of a platform to launch from.

PIECE, short for Petersburg Incentive Education for Childhood Employees, is modeled with the statement: “Improving quality car...