Amends GS 115C-296(e), directing the State Board of Education to develop a new teacher mentor program, to provide that in developing criteria for selecting teachers to be participants in the mentor training program, the Board must include criteria requiring mentor teachers to be rated through formal evaluations at least at the proficient level (currently, at least at the accomplished level) as part of the North Carolina Teacher Evaluation System and have met expectations for student growth. Directs the principal to determine which mentor teacher best meets the needs of each new teacher and to assign the mentor teacher most appropriate to that new teacher with priority consideration for those mentor teachers rated as distinguished and accomplished. Directs the principal to maintain records for the reasons for determining that a mentor teacher rated as proficient is the most appropriate mentor teacher for a new teacher. Applies to mentors selected for the 2017-18 school year.