College Park Academy

About Us

What makes us unique

College Park Academy (CPA) was founded in 2013 by the College Park City/University of Maryland Partnership as part of its Vision 2020 to create a top 20 college town. CPA’s Board includes University of Maryland (UMD) deans, professors, and alumni, as well as College Park Council members and community leaders.

CPA’s partnership with the UMD makes it the premier charter school in Maryland. UMD faculty, staff and students infuse CPA with academic rigor.  UMD Colleges from Education and Computer Science to Engineering, Public Health, as well as Business & Behavioral and Social Sciences are active at CPA.

College Park Academy offers a Blended Learning environment where students can take face-to-face courses and virtual courses with one of the most expansive course offerings in the state of Maryland. CPA uses nationally-recognized online curriculum in school and at home, allowing students to accelerate their learning. CPA offers dual enrollment with PGCC and concurrent enrollment with UMD. CPA also offers robust “Signature Programs”. This gives students the opportunity for mini majors and independent study aligned with colleges at UMD. Our students learn from UMD leaders and researchers, collaborate with UMD students, visit the UMD College Park campus, and complete their studies at CPA with AP Capstone Projects. 

Community

The Signature Programs at College Park Academy are the embodiment of our partnership with the University of Maryland. High school students focus their electives and advanced studies on a particular field of study and have the opportunity to work with UMD faculty and students on projects throughout their high school years. Each signature program culminates with a student-designed capstone project through our AP Seminar and AP Research courses. CPA currently partners with UMD to offer the following Signature Programs:

• Education

• Engineering

• Business

• Public Health

• Computer Science

• Behavior and Social Sciences

During the pandemic, as the only blended learning charter school in the state, College Park Academy partnered with the University of Maryland on two Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) grants.  The 2-year Innovative Virtual Teaching Academy and 1-year Remote Teaching in Excellence programs provided CPA’s educational leaders the platform to showcase emerging best practices in virtual and hybrid teaching and learning to nearly a thousand teachers from 12 districts across the state of Maryland. 

Mission and Vision

Mission:

College Park Academy provides all students the opportunity to learn at their own pace while accelerating and earning up to 60 college credits, including UMD, and, holistically prepares them for admission into the top colleges and universities in the country.

Vision:

College Park Academy strives to be one of the most rigorous college prep middle and high schools in America, combining a strong academic culture, personalized learning and extracurriculars with college level opportunities in partnership with the University of Maryland.

​Programs

• After School Programs: CPA Plus (UMD supported) with a variety of activities on rotation such as Debate, Robotics, Drama, Glee Club, Ballet, Golf, Woodwind Ensemble, Swimming, Creative Computing, Model UN, Gaming/Strategy, Sisters in STEM

• Dress Code (Uniforms)

• Instruction is online and in-person following a blended learning model.

• PTO/PTA

• Restorative Practices

• STEM: Partnership with UMD, Engineering forUS All (e4usa)  and Amazon Future Engineers

• Summer Programs

Lottery Preference

• Neighborhood

• Siblings of current students

• Teachers and staff

Principals' Message:

High School Principal

We are most proud of our school community when College Park Academy students are passionate about their studies and our rigorous curriculum challenges them to complete it with tenacity, focus, and excellence. 

• All Grade 9-12 students partake in one of the six Signature Programs on offer. 

• 99.5% of high school students take accelerated classes. 

• Early graduation is available to students who earn enough credits. 

• Graduating students enter top colleges or universities following graduation. 

• Test scores and attendance rates are some of the highest in Maryland.

• 100% graduation rate (2023)

Middle School

College Park Academy's middle school program is one of the top programs in the state of Maryland. Below are some highlights of the program.  

• All Grade 6-8 students are offered a traditional or accelerated learning path. 

• Test scores and attendance rates are some of the highest in Maryland.

• 100% promotion to high school rate (2023)

• Opportunities for middle school students to work closely with the University of Maryland, College Park, including campus tours.

How To Apply