 Kevin Uretzky, Fox News. Now an issue affecting students much younger in Maryland. Today marks the end of the public comment period for the new policy being mulled over by the Maryland State Board of Education. It would add extra support for kindergarten through third grade students who are struggling to read and would require them to repeat third grade if they can't read at grade level. If it's adopted, it would be part of the changes to early childhood education, part of the state's multi-billion dollar plan for education reform.