Two Michigan early childhood educators are starting this week in a new, rent-free home.
Supporters gathered outside a Battle Creek duplex Monday. The home is part of a fledgling national program aimed at helping attract and retain teachers for pre-school programs with rent-free housing, as a salary benefit.
Haylee Fettes and her sons are one of the two families moving into the duplex this week.
She said the rent-free home will make it easier for her to stay an early childhood educator.
“Just being able to breathe, live, work, and not think about the money,” said Fettes.
The Battle Creek duplex is just the latest step in the First Home, First Teacher project started in New Haven, Connecticut.
Caroline Smith is the chief strategy and innovation officer for the Friends Center for Children. The New Haven group has become working with other groups around the country interested in copying their program.
She said other programs tie the rent free housing to individual early child care centers. But the Battle Creek approach will eventually take a city-wide approach, with additional rent free properties for early childhood teachers.
“The particular value there is that means if an educator decides to leave their center and work for another center they want to stay in the field. They can maintain their home,” said Smith.
Attracting and retaining early childhood educators is a problem in Michigan, and across the U.S.
In 2025 Michigan State University said there were roughly 9,000 vacant teacher jobs at state early childcare centers. Researchers say the shortage is driven by unsustainably low wages.
Organizers hope providing rent-free housing may help.
The Battle Creek First Home, First Teacher is being spearheaded by Community Action, the United Way, the Battle Creek Community Foundation, Neighborhoods Inc. and Pulse.
