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Area Resources & Information

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Childcare and Family Care

Family Care ResourcesThe University provides resources and referrals for both child care and elder care. Click here for more information.
County Childcare Referral Services

Each county in Maryland provides individualized referral services to accredited daycare centers or licensed home daycare providers, as does the District of Columbia. For assistance, visit their websites or call the appropriate office below.

ChildCare.gov WebsiteThis website provides child care information and other resources that can help your family. It also provides free tools and resources and connects you directly to the programs you need where you live.
National Association for the Education of Young ChildrenThe National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) is a professional membership organization that works to promote high-quality early learning for all young children, birth through age 8, by connecting early childhood practice, policy, and research. We advance a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and support all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children. The association comprises nearly 60,000 individual members of the early childhood community and 52 Affiliates, all committed to delivering on the promise of high-quality early learning. Together, we work to achieve a collective vision: that all young children thrive and learn in a society dedicated to ensuring they reach their full potential.
State Daycare Licensing StandardsThis important resource on daycare licensing for each state includes standards, regulations and agency contact information.

Surrounding Area

Local School Information

The Maryland Department of Education's Maryland Report Card Performance Report provided detailed information by county and by individual school. The reports include attendance and dropout rates, test results over the past five years, demographic data, and future plans for graduating seniors.

GreatSchools is a national, independent nonprofit organization and website that provides comprehensive profiles for both public and private schools. Parent-friendly features include teacher stats, parent reviews, student body profiles, standarized test scores, as well as search and compare tools.

Public Schools in the Area

Anne Arundel County

Howard County

  • General Information
  • School assignments and curriculum information are available from the main Howard County Schools website.

Montgomery County

Prince George's County

Commuting in the Area

Public and University Shuttle Bus Transportation

  • Shuttle-UM is the free bus system of the University of Maryland. It has an extensive service network on and around campus. There are many ways to finding out how to use the system. Destinations accessible by Shuttle-UM routes include apartment complexes, shopping plazas, metrorail stations, and over 25 on-campus stops. The Department of Transportation website contains information about bus routes, schedules, and more. Each route has a PDF file link that contains the bus schedule and stops as well as a map depicting the location of each stop. A printed bus guide is also available at the Department of Transportation office (Regents Drive Garage).
  • UMD Smart Commute is available to any full-time faculty or staff member who regularly use public transportation for commuting to work. Automatic payroll deductions, which are PRE-TAX, may be utilized and transferred electronically via a SmarTrip card (aka, Smart Benefits). SmarTrip can be used on Metrobus and Metrorail. They can also be exchanged to pay fares on more than 100 participating commuter services, such as; MARC, Ride-On, and Connect-A-Ride.
  • Maryland and Washington D.C. Metrobus and Metrorail System is the public bus and rail system for the entire metropolitan area. College Park has a Metrorail Station on the "Green Line." This website includes a trip planner, schedule and fare information, and parking availability information.

Carpooling, Park and Ride and Other Alternative Methods of Commuting

  • Carpooling to the University can be easy and has many advantages. Participation in the Faculty/Staff Smart Park Carpool Program REDUCES the cost of parking permit fees; carpoolers may register with Commuter Connections for the "Guaranteed Ride Home Program;" and there is an on-line database to find other University employees in the same zip code looking to carpool.
  • Zipcars are available across campus 24/7! They can be reserved online. The low hourly and daily rates always include gas and insurance.
  • Campus Motor Vehicle Assistance. Jump starts, gas transports, tire inflations, and lockouts are all FREE services offered by the Department of Transportation Services.
  • Obtaining a Campus Parking Permit. Faculty are issued permits every two years or at the time of initial employment. Faculty/Staff parking registration must be initiated by the faculty/staff member through your Departmental Parking Coordinator (DPC). Parking assignments for each F/S parking area are determined by each department and Campus Parking. For more information on how your parking assignment is determined please contact your Departmental Parking Coordinator.

Area Resources

The University is located in the town of College Park, part of Prince George's County. Most faculty live in this county, in Montgomery, Howard or Anne Arundel Counties, or in the cities of Washington D.C. or Baltimore. The number and diversity of possible cities and communities in which to reside is one of the advantages of the University's location. Maps and descriptions of the Greater D.C./Baltimore area are provided below.

Neighborhood Descriptions and Comparisons

Links to County and City Websites