FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SENT Inc. Announces New Teacher Housing Stability and Retention Initiative to Strengthen Schools, Support Educators, and Build Healthier Neighborhoods
Topeka, KS — [January 2026] — SENT Inc. announced the launch of its Teacher Housing Stability and Retention Initiative, a strategic investment designed to help committed educators put down long-term roots in the communities they serve. The initiative provides direct financial support for teachers purchasing a SENT Inc. home and creates a framework for long-term stability that benefits educators, students, and neighborhoods.
The new program advances SENT’s mission to walk beside neighbors through loving relationships and strategic development, leading to holistic transformation in Shawnee County.
Addressing a Critical Driver of Teacher Turnover
Decades of national research underscore a truth that families see every day: experienced teachers transform student outcomes. Studies from the Learning Policy Institute and the Stanford Center for Education Policy Analysis show that teacher effectiveness increases steadily with experience—often well into the second decade of a career. In the largest dataset of its kind, veteran teachers helped students achieve several additional months of academic growth compared to those taught by brand-new instructors.
Experienced educators also contribute to stronger school climates. Students read more for pleasure, disciplinary incidents decline, and classroom environments become more stable and supportive.
Yet housing instability is one of the greatest threats to teacher retention. A 2025 California policy guide (Kaliyeva) emphasizes that educator housing initiatives are not merely financial tools but equity, dignity, and civil rights strategies that strengthen democratic society by ensuring all students have consistent access to excellent teachers.
A Local Challenge with Real Human Impact
In Topeka, the housing needs of educators came into sharp relief in 2024. As reported by the Topeka Capital-Journal (Aug. 11, 2024), Superintendent Dr. Tiffany Anderson purchased homes using her own resources to provide rent-free housing for international teachers—a powerful but unsustainable act of personal sacrifice demonstrating the urgent need for a community-level solution.
Her leadership illuminated a larger truth: no individual should bear this responsibility alone. Retaining great teachers requires a coordinated effort that honors their essential role in shaping children’s futures.
About the Initiative
SENT is investing $60,000 to support twelve teachers, providing $5,000 each toward closing costs or down payment assistance on a SENT home. To ensure fairness, transparency, and long-term success, teachers will:
- Apply through SENT’s established homebuyer pool
- Complete SENT’s homebuyer education program
- Demonstrate mortgage readiness
- Commit to teaching for five years at one of SENT’s focus schools: Ross Elementary, Eisenhower Middle School, Highland Park High School, Highland Park Central Elementary, and Avondale Academy
- Maintain the purchased home as their primary residence
Educators who leave early will repay assistance on a graduated timeline, mirroring common public-sector retention incentives.
Research, Wraparound Support, and Community Impact
Beyond financial assistance, participating teachers and their families will take part in a multi-year study exploring how stable, dignified housing paired with SENT’s wraparound supports influences:
- Health and stress
- Family stability
- School engagement
- Classroom outcomes
Teachers will also have access to SENT’s full range of supports, including case management, mental health services, and community wellness programming—services shown to reduce barriers, improve family stability, and promote long-term thriving.
An Invitation to Partners
SENT designed the Teacher Housing Stability and Retention Initiative to grow. Matching donors—businesses, foundations, civic groups, or individual supporters—can:
- Double the number of teachers served
- Expand eligibility to additional schools they care about
- Strengthen Southeast Topeka’s broader educational ecosystem
SENT is prepared to scale the model wherever partners are ready to invest in teacher stability and neighborhood health.
A Community-Wide Strategy for Long-Term Change
Teacher turnover disrupts relationships, weakens school culture, and increases costs—estimated at $9,000 to $20,000 per vacancy due to recruitment, hiring, and onboarding. National data and Topeka’s local experience confirm that housing affordability is one of the most significant drivers of these shortages.
“Stable teachers create stable schools. Stable schools create stable communities,” said Johnathan Sublet, Executive Director of SENT Inc. “By helping educators become homeowners in the neighborhoods they serve, we’re investing not just in individual teachers, but in stronger families, safer streets, healthier classrooms, and a more resilient Southeast Topeka.”
About SENT Inc.
SENT (Strengthening & Equipping Neighborhoods Together) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the holistic transformation of neighborhoods in Shawnee County. Through loving relationships, strategic development, and life-changing experiences, SENT equips families with the resources they need to thrive—ranging from housing and homeownership supports to mental health services, youth development, substance use recovery, and community wellness.
To learn more or become a matching partner, visit www.senttopeka.com or contact:
Media Contact
Johnathan Sublet, Executive Director
Phone: (785) 783-2535
Email: johnathan@senttopeka.com