This afternoon at 1 p.m., the Department of Education will present results of the State English Language Arts exam for New York City public school students in grades 3 through 8.

These scores help to determine a school's Progress Report score -- and, in some cases, its survival.  Principals and teachers can be rewarded handsomely for large gains -- but outcomes for fourth- and seventh-grade students are higher still, as the standardized scores children earn in those grades help determine middle- and high-school placement.

We'll post details after the briefing.