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

Reasoning: If the committee does not have a single point, Principal, the innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs cannot be implemented.
Critical word : 'Cannot'. This means we are looking at extreme case of 100% surety of a certain t hing not happening.

(A) Innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs are usually implemented by individual private schools, not by public school systems.
The para speaks of schools in general and not some specific types of schools

(B) Only principals will try new methods and programs.
Yes, it gives you that extreme word 'only'. So if principal is not there, new methods will not be implemented.
Let us keep it for now.

(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.
Tempting. But it does not tell us why the absence of principal will surely lead to non-implementation of innovative teaching methods etc.
Also, it is not the extreme choice we are looking for, as it uses comparative 'more likely'.

(D) All school principals achieved their positions by taking academic risks.
The para nowhere links academic risks to innovative methods. Also out of scope as it speaks of the past behavior of principal.

(E) All innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs encompass some risk.
Again, no relation between risk and methods. Also no relation between committees/Principal and taking risks.

B
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One theory of school governance can be pictured as an upside-down triangle. Students, teachers and the faculty/parent committee make up the body of the triangle, but the triangle has no point, that is, it has no school principal. Schools are run by the faculty/parent committee, which makes all significant decisions concerning academic standards, curriculum, discipline, extra-curricular activities, etc. As a result, under this theory, innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs cannot be implemented.

The argument depends upon which one of the following assumptions?

The argument describes a method (theory) of governance and states that this method doesn't have a principal.
Then the argument jumps to the conclusion: under this theory, innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs cannot be implemented.

The only assumption I can think of is that a principal is somehow crucial to the implementation of innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs.

(A) Innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs are usually implemented by individual private schools, not by public school systems.
- INCORRECT. Public- Private split is not discussed.

(B) Only principals will try new methods and programs.
- CORRECT, As per our prethinking.

(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.
-INCORRECT. No reason for such an assumption is given in the passage.

(D) All school principals achieved their positions by taking academic risks.
- INCORRECT. How principals achieve their position is irrelevant.

(E) All innovative teaching methods and progressive academic programs encompass some risk.
-INCORRECT. Risk of any kind isn't discussed.

IMO B.

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

(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”?