The number of applications for teaching positions in Newtown’s public

First, let’s take a look at the structure of the passage:

- The number of teaching applicants in Newtown decreased 5.7% from 1985-1993 and 5.9% from 1985-1994. This means that teaching applications declined a little over .2% from 1993-1994.
- Throughout the late 1990s, the student population grew and more teachers resigned.
- With more students, more teacher resignations, and fewer teaching applicants we would EXPECT a teacher shortage towards the end of the decade.
- BUT, Newtown DID NOT face a teacher shortage in the late 1990s.

The question asks that we identify an answer choice that explains this apparent discrepancy. In other words, how can we have more students, more teacher resignations, and fewer teaching applicants, but at the same time not face a teacher shortage?


The fact that many of Newtown’s public school students do not graduate from high school does not help explain why Newtown does not face a teacher shortage in the late 1990s. Even if the graduation rate were in some way connected to the number of teachers needed, (A) still provides no information on how the number of students who graduate has or has not changed over the course of the decade. Eliminate (A).


(B) explains why Newtown’s student population continued to grow in the late 1990s, but the question asks us to explain the discrepancy. Because (B) does not explain why Newtown did not face a teacher shortage in that time period, we can eliminate it.


The passage has already indicated that the number of students has grown in the 1990s. Thus, if the Newtown school board were to increase the ratio of students to teachers, it could keep constant or decrease the number of teachers. But (C) indicates that the school board will not increase this ratio. This means that the school board will have to hire more teachers than ever to keep pace with the growing student population. Therefore, rather than explain why Newtown does not face a teacher shortage, (C) gives us all the more reason to find the lack of a teacher shortage perplexing. Eliminate (C).


If teachers’ colleges in the area began to produce fewer graduates, we would have all the more reason to expect a teacher shortage. Fewer graduates means a smaller pool of teachers to hire from. If anything, (D), like (C), gives us more reason to expect a teacher shortage. So, we can eliminate (D).


We are trying to explain how, despite a decrease in applications, an increase in resignations, and an increase in students, Newtown did not face a teacher shortage in the late 1990s. If, in 1993, Newtown began with 40% more applications than positions available, then it had a significant surplus of teaching applicants. That means Newtown could afford a slight decrease in the number of applications and still be able to hire enough teachers to cover a growing student population and increasing number of resignations. Therefore, (E) explains the apparent discrepancy and is the best choice.

(E) is correct.

I hope that helps!