Sec. 5. (a) A teacher employed in a joint program who does not have existing years of service in one (1) of the member corporations of the joint program is considered to have been employed as a teacher by the governing body that is administering the joint program at the time that the teacher is first employed by the joint program.
(b) The teacher is entitled to the same rights and privileges as set forth in IC 20-28-6 through IC 20-28-10 as if employed as a regular teacher by the governing body that is administering the joint program at the time that the teacher is first employed by the joint program.