The attached pdf may help answer questions -- and help parents and students prepare more specific questions -- related to modified, or hybrid, four by four block scheduling proposed by ACPS. Dr. Rettig is a Professor Emeritus at JMU and a recognized national authority on high school and middle school scheduling. (As an aside, his children attended ACPS in the western district.)

Please note there are 123 slides in this presentation; slides in the 30-40 range show a number of variations of the hybrid four by four schedules.

Those parents and students wishing to dive more deeply into the research, can read more at the School Scheduling Associates website found here.