Section 37-9-205 - Establishment of beginning teacher support program(1) The Mississippi Teacher Center of the State Department of Education shall establish a beginning teacher support program to provide eligible beginning teachers in this state with continued and sustained support from a formally assigned mentor teacher during the first full year of teaching.(2) After the 1992-1993 school year, any district is eligible to participate in the beginning teacher support program.(3) Two (2) or more districts may operate jointly a beginning teacher support program if they meet all the requirements of Sections 37-9-201 through 37-9-213.(4) Educational consortia established for approved teacher education programs pursuant to rules of the Mississippi Teacher Center are eligible to operate a beginning teacher support program to serve beginning teachers in a participating school district.(5) To the extent practicable, school districts may coordinate with institutions of higher education in the design, implementation and evaluation of mentorship programs.Laws, 1991, ch. 502, § 5; Laws, 1995, ch. 427, § 1, eff. 7/1/1995.