College Park Academy: A Comprehensive Overview

College Park Academy (CPA) stands as a unique charter school located in Riverdale, Maryland, within the Prince George's County Public Schools district. Its establishment stems from a partnership between the city of College Park and the University of Maryland (UMD), with a vision to create a top 20 college town. This collaboration deeply influences the academy's values, goals, and educational approach. CPA serves students in grades 6-12, offering a blended learning environment that combines face-to-face and virtual courses.

Quick Stats and Key Information

Location: 5751 Rivertech Ct, Riverdale, MD 20737
Grades: 6-12
Student Population: 692
Student-Teacher Ratio: 20:1
Minority Student Enrollment: 88%
Economically Disadvantaged Students: 49%
Full-time Teachers: 34
Full-time School Counselor: 1
Math Proficiency: 17% of students score at or above the proficient level
Reading Proficiency: 59% of students score at or above the proficient level
Graduation Rate (2023): 100%

Academic Performance and Rankings

College Park Academy's academic performance is a mix of strengths and areas for growth. According to state test scores, 17% of students scored at or above the proficient level for math, while 59% scored at or above that level for reading.

Reading Proficiency Rank: #63 out of 322 schools in Maryland
Math Proficiency Rank: #153 out of 322 schools in Maryland
Reading Performance: Well Above Expectations
Math Performance: Meets Expectations

Compared to the Prince George's County Public Schools district, College Park Academy performs better in both math and reading. In the district, 33% of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 11% tested at or above that level for math. However, when compared to the entire state of Maryland, College Park Academy performs worse in math but better in reading. Across Maryland, 42% of students tested at or above the proficient level for reading, and 25% tested at or above that level for math.

Student and Teacher Demographics

The student body at College Park Academy is diverse, with a significant minority student enrollment of 88%. Specifically, 49% of students are identified as economically disadvantaged. The student population consists of 48% female students and 52% male students. The school employs 34 full-time teachers, with 85% of them being certified. The student-teacher ratio is 20:1, which is higher than that of the district average.

Unique Features and Programs

College Park Academy distinguishes itself through several unique features and programs:

Partnership with the University of Maryland (UMD): This partnership is a cornerstone of CPA's identity, with UMD faculty, staff, and students actively involved in the school. UMD colleges such as Education, Computer Science, Engineering, Public Health, Business, and Behavioral and Social Sciences contribute to CPA's academic rigor.
Blended Learning Environment: CPA offers a combination of face-to-face and virtual courses, providing students with a flexible and expansive learning experience.
Online Curriculum: CPA utilizes nationally-recognized online curriculum, allowing students to learn both in school and at home and accelerate their learning.
Dual Enrollment and Concurrent Enrollment: CPA offers dual enrollment opportunities with Prince George's Community College (PGCC) and concurrent enrollment with UMD, allowing students to earn college credits while in high school.
Signature Programs: These programs provide students with the opportunity to delve into specific fields of study aligned with UMD colleges. 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 AP Seminar and AP Research courses.
Early Graduation: Available to students who earn enough credits.
College and Career Readiness: CPA provides robust college counseling services, including yearly College and Career Readiness Fairs and presentations from UMD representatives.
Foreign Language Emphasis: CPA places a strong emphasis on foreign language studies, offering Spanish, Chinese, French, and American Sign Language.
Extensive Electives: Students can choose from a wide range of electives, including humanities, fine art, finance, business, test prep, medical studies, world languages, and technology education.
STEM Focus: CPA offers a variety of STEM courses and extra-curricular activities, including Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Statistics, AP Calculus, AP Statistics, Environmental Science, Physics, AP Biology, and AP Environmental Science.

College Park Academy's Signature Programs

The Signature Programs at College Park Academy are the embodiment of the school's partnership with the University of Maryland. These programs allow students to focus their electives and advanced studies on a particular field, collaborate with UMD faculty and students, visit the UMD College Park campus, and complete their studies with AP Capstone Projects. All Grade 9-12 students partake in one of the six Signature Programs on offer. The Signature Programs are centered around an academic discipline to give students exposure to the university academic experience while earning college credits in high school. Since the founding CPA students have taken the following courses: Philosophy, Intro to Engineering Design, Computer Science, Intensive Intermediate French, Geography, Sociological Social Psychology, Intro to Criminal Justice, Infant Development, and General Astronomy. They also have the opportunity to take courses at other Universities in Maryland.

College and Career Readiness

College Park Academy is committed to preparing students for success in college and beyond. The school's counselors work closely with students to identify their interests, navigate the college application process, and explore various college programs. CPA schedules yearly College and Career Readiness Fairs where representatives come from various schools to meet and greet with students, showcase different programs they offer and form connections with our students.

Every year, University of Maryland representatives host a presentation at CPA to untangle the application process and answer any questions students may have. CPA and UMD partnership also works together to plan field trips for students to visit different UMD departments, meet college students and ask questions, and experience University of Maryland’s campus in action.

Foreign Language Studies

College Park Academy puts an emphasis on the study of foreign languages. The school offers four foreign languages (Spanish, Chinese, French, American Sign Language). Studies have shown that students who are exposed to world languages at a young age have an advantage when it comes to learning any subject. Language also comes quicker to young minds so at College Park Academy, we challenge our middle schoolers to begin their foreign language studies sooner in the hopes that they will develop a deeper understanding.

After their first year studying Spanish, students can choose which language to learn in subsequent years. Foreign languages are taught online which allows students to slow their lessons when grammar becomes more difficult, or rewatch instruction to ensure full digestion and understanding of units before moving to the next.

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Electives

College Park Academy provides our students the opportunity to explore their interests and hobbies by choosing electives from an extensive list which includes humanities, fine art, finance, business, test prep, medical studies, world languages, technology education and a variety of AP elective courses. The Advanced Placement courses offered at CPA include Art History, Biology, Computer Science JAVA, Microeconomics/Macroeconomics, Research, Spanish, Psychology, Human Geography and Computer Science Principles.

STEM Education

College Park Academy recognizes that STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) grows increasingly important in modern society, education, and careers. CPA provides an extensive selection of STEM courses and extra-curricular activities to ensure our students receive cutting-edge and innovative education.

For core math courses, we offer Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Statistics, AP Calculus and AP Statistics. Core science courses include Environmental Science, Physics, AP Biology, and AP Environmental Science. In these core science classes, teachers make use of the natural world around the school to further develop understanding and connection to real-world science.

History and Founding

College Park Academy was founded in 2013 as part of a joint initiative between College Park, Maryland, and the University of Maryland. It was established as one of the first blended learning schools in Maryland to invest in the connection between the university and the community. The school opened with grades 6-7 in August 2013 with about 300 students, and the first graduating class was in 2019. Its permanent campus in Riverdale Park opened on Tuesday October 3, 2017.

Athletics

College Park Academy launched its soccer program in 2024. Despite starting the season with an 0-5 record, the team showed remarkable resilience, finishing with a 7-6 record. Along the way, they also secured wins against CMIT South, CMIT North, Frederick Douglass High School, and Largo High School. CPA Athletics offers basketball and volleyball for boys, girls, high school, and middle school students. Our interscholastic teams compete in sports games with surrounding schools, providing our students the opportunity to participate in friendly competition and exercise while developing their team-building skills, creating strong social bonds, and developing their hobbies and interests outside of academics.

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CPA Plus Program

CPA Plus is a before and after school enrichment program that provides academic, athletic, and artistic extracurricular programs which supplement the growth and development of the students. CPA Plus provides a platform for UMD students and staff to provide STEM, tutoring, and fitness programs that enhance the academic aptitude, health, and well-being of the College Park Academy students. Through this partnership, the University of Maryland students are afforded service learning opportunities, internships, and paid positions which helps them to develop vocational and leadership skills for future employment.

College Park Academy Online

Established in 2022, College Park Academy Online operated as a private non-profit, 100% online school for children in grades 6-12. The school was launched in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic to expand upon the success of curriculum and methods at College Park Academy and reach a wider audience.

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