The education standards and practices board shall:

1.    Establish and administer a teacher support program; 2.    Employ an individual to serve as a teacher support program coordinator; 3.     a.    Select and train experienced teachers who will serve as mentors for first-year teachers and assist the first-year teachers with instructional skills development; or

b.    If a school district or other employing entity listed in section 15.1-18.2-07 is not in need of mentors for its first-year teachers, select and train experienced teachers who will work with school district administrators and administrators from the other employing entities to identify the needs of the non-first-year teachers and help the non-first-year teachers address their particular needs through the use of:

(1) Research-validated interventions; and

(2) Proven instructional methods.