One theory of school governance can be pictured as an upside-down tria

Only B....fill the gap...no innovative methods to be implemented without the Principal...B is clear winner

Official Explanation

The link that allows the conclusion to be drawn in this problem is the assumption that only principals will try new methods and programs. Under this theory of governance by committee, new methods and programs cannot be implemented. Thus, the theory assumes that only individuals will try new ideas. Selection (B) is the correct answer.

Selection (C) is a close second. It is supported by the argument, but it understates the breadth of the implied premise. The question states that in this theory of school governance, new methods and programs cannot be implemented, not that they are less likely to be implemented.

(A) Innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs are usually implemented by individual private schools, not by public school systems. — our passage doesn’t distinguish the schools. This is quite out of scope. Eliminate.

(B) Only principals will try new methods and programs. — keep. Though I rejected this on the first go because of the word “try” qua “implemented” in the passage. Ultimately, this is the winner.

(C) A person acting by himself is more likely to direct that new methods be tried than if he is acting as part of a committee. — more likely doesn’t mean he will. The tone of our conclusion is strong (notice “cannot”), which implies that in mechanisms other than this upside down triangle, radical ideas will be implemented. “Will be” and not “likely to be”. Eliminate.

(D) All school principals achieved their positions by taking academic risks. — this is taking a logical jump in so far as it is assuming that innovative methods are risky. No where this is given. Also principals may have taken risk to reach to the top but now that they are at the top? Not necessary that they will take the same risks. Eliminate.

(E) All innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs encompass some risk. — but this choice tells nothing abt why they will never be implemented in the new mechanism. Eliminate.

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under this theory, innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs cannot be implemented. - a method (theory) of governance and states that this method doesn't have a principal.


The disconnect here simply between not having a principal and thus no innovative teaching method.
Thus we have assumed it to be the case , hence we just to prove it to be one....

OPTION A,C,D,E if payed close attention dont come close to what we have assumed. Although C comes just shy but B accurately tell why it happens.

The argument depends upon which one of the following assumptions?

Type: Argument
Conclusion: innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs cannot be implemented
Premise: it has no school principal
Answer: (B) Only principals will try new methods and programs.

Why: If not, why does “no school principal” lead to “no innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs”?