(a) The State Board shall require a minimum level of reading ability for each grade 2 through 12 that rises for each succeeding grade.

(b) If a county board, based on local assessment of student progress and in conjunction with the Maryland education accountability program, finds that a student in grade 3, 7, or 9 through 11 who is not moderately, severely, or profoundly intellectually limited has not met either a minimum grade level competency or the minimum reading level as required by the State Board for the previous grade, the student shall be:

(1) Kept in the current grade; or

(2) Enrolled in an appropriate reading assistance program as part of his instructional program.

(c) The provisions of this section may not be the sole reason for withholding grade advancement more than once in grades 2 through 7.

(d) The State Board shall adopt bylaws to implement this section.