Critical Reasoning

In an effort to retain more highly-qualified teachers in the public school system, many school districts have begun a tuition-credit program with their teachers. Such programs allow a teacher to increase his qualifications by earning a master’s degree at a substantial savings. The school district pays for the teacher’s tuition up front, and the teacher agrees to pay back one-half of the total cost over the course of his first five years of employment with the school district after completion of the master’s program. The teacher is obligated to reimburse the district fully, however, if he chooses to leave the district before the five-year period has elapsed.

The tuition-credit program described above is based on which one of the following assumptions?


A legally binding agreement will morally oblige most teachers to fulfill their side of the bargain.

The deterrent of having to reimburse the district fully will encourage teachers to remain in the employ of the district for at least five years.

The financial burden taken on by most teachers who finance postgraduate education themselves is less onerous than the negative effect of a five-year teaching commitment.

Most teachers who take part in the program will have to be persuaded to remain in the employ of the district through financial and other means.

The program will discourage teachers from pursuing advanced degrees.