Welcome to University of Maryland Child Development Center

Yes, Bright Horizons will accept tuition payments through the Bright Horizons Online Payment Solution process. The Online Payment Solution is a secure, online payment system that allows the family’s primary payer to do the following:

• Sign up for recurring ACH payments to pay your tuition balance

• Initiate one-time payments

• Manage family and account information in one place

• Go paperless and leave the checkbook at home

All Bright Horizons staff are trained regularly in CPR, even if not required by the state. First Aid is taught as required by state licensing agency/regulations so that you can feel confident that your child is safe and receiving the best care possible at our center.

Yes, expectant or adoptive families can register once they confirm pregnancy or they are engaged in the adoptive process.

Bright Horizons will hold your space for up to 90 days as long as tuition is paid during that period.  After 90 days, you must enroll your child, or space will be offered to another family on the wait pool.

Bright Horizons was founded more than 30 years ago and partners with more than 1000 employers across the U.S., as well as in Europe, Canada, and India. Their client list includes half of those named to FORTUNE magazine’s “100 Best Companies” and more than three-fourths of the companies on Working Mother magazine’s “100 Best” list. Bright Horizons operates centers in communities, as well as onsite at major employers.

Bright Horizons has created Bright Horizons® World at Home, a new way to keep children learning and to support families in these times. Designed by our education team to bring some of the very best learning from our centers right into your homes, World at Home features videos and activities for every age group in each of our curriculum areas, as well as short webinars on important topics for parents.

Bright Horizons conducts a comprehensive background check on all prospective employees and frequent visitors.  The background check consists of a county criminal record check for the past seven years performed in all counties in which that person has lived, worked or attended school.  In addition to the county criminal search, a sex offender search, Office of Foreign Assets Control search, and a social security verification trace are also conducted.  For all Center employees, program licensing background checks required by the state are also performed. 

We recommend that children with dietary restrictions bring an appropriate snack from home. Any snacks brought into the center must adhere to our Food from Home policy.

• Both staff and children will be frequently washing hands throughout the day, including when entering and leaving classrooms.
•  Food preparation surfaces, eating utensils, tables, highchairs, computer keyboards, mixed use surfaces, changing tables, and potties will all be sanitized after each use by staff wearing gloves.

• Sanitizing measures will also be applied to our playground equipment. The center will receive special cleanings as needed.
•  Parents will not be allowed to enter the classrooms at pick-up and drop-off. A teacher will meet parents at the door to bring the child into and out of the center. Designated staff will wash or disinfect hands after escorting each child, before meeting next child.

You will need to complete the Enrollment Interest Form and submit it to umd@brighthorizons.com. From there, you will receive a link to complete your registration and pay the registration fee. Registration forms and fees received will be considered in the order they are received.
 

Your family’s status on the wait pool will remain intact until space becomes available and is offered to your family. Families may decline an offer and maintain their current position on the waitpool twice. After the second decline, their name is removed from the future list. Families may register again at any time.

We offer a mid-morning snack and an afternoon snack every day. Families must provide breakfast and lunch for their child and adhere to our Food from Home policy.

No, the center does not offer part-time enrollment at this time

No, the center will not offer a sibling discount. 

The center has capacity for 120 children and serves children ages 6 weeks through 5 years. 

Bright Horizons works to recruit and hire the highest quality teachers.  Staff members are nurturing educators who encourage learning through exploration and partnership with parents. They’re trained to deliver the highest standard of care.  All candidates undergo a thorough screening, including a Bright Horizons, enhanced background check, and state-required background checks. All teachers must meet state educational licensing and additional center requirements.

Tuition rates are established in alignment with comparable, high-quality child care centers in the surrounding area. While establishing these rates, Bright Horizons works hard to balance the tuition rates with the need to deliver the highest quality care possible, which is framed by the following factors:

• Lower classroom ratios and smaller group sizes

• Professional training, management, and support for teachers

• Ample equipment and resources for children and families

Contact the center at umd@brighthorizons.com to learn more.

The capacity per age group and teacher-to-child ratios are summarized below:

The ratios at the center are designed to support one-on-one interactions between the teachers and children, an in-depth understanding by the teachers of the individual needs of each child, and the formulation of consistent caregiving routines based on the teachers’ knowledge of the individual children. These teacher-to-child ratios also support enhanced development, particularly language development.

**Due to COVID-19, the capacity, ratios and group sizes are subject to change based on the development and implementation of new state guidelines and enhanced center protocols.

In addition to the tuition, you will be required to pay the following:

• Registration Fee: A non-refundable registration fee of $150 per child will be due at the time of registration.

• Annual Re-Registration Fee: A non-refundable registration fee of $100 per child.

• Enrollment Deposit:

  • There is a non-refundable enrollment deposit for each registered child, equal to one month's tuition.

  • The enrollment deposit will be applied to the first month of tuition. If a family chooses not to enroll their child after accepting the enrollment offer, the enrollment deposit will be forfeited.

• Late payment fee: A late payment fee of $5.00 per day will be charged if tuition payments are paid late.  Tuition payments are due on the 25th of the month, payable in advance.

• Late pick-up fee: A late fee of $1 per child will be assessed for each 1 minute beyond the center’s closing time.

• Non-sufficient fund fee: A $25.00 fee will be charged for a payment made with insufficient funds. If this occurs more than once, Bright Horizons may require payment by another method for enrollment to continue, such as, cashier’s check.

Bright Horizons offers many resources to support families’ efforts to nurture children’s development, be actively involved in their education, and balance work/life demands.  Bright Horizons Resources can be found at www.brighthorizons.com/resources.

The center is open Monday through Friday from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and will remain open year-round; closing only on the following days:

• New Year's Day

• Martin Luther King Jr. Day

• First two days of Spring Break (March 15 & 16, 2021) 

• Memorial Day

• Independence Day

• Labor Day

• Thanksgiving Day

• Day After Thanksgiving

• Christmas Day

The center is located at 4601 Calvert Road, College Park, MD 20740.  This is the site of the former College Park Elementary School.

No, the center will not offer vacation credits. 

• Start by selecting the Find a Center link on this page.
• Under the center you’re interested in, click the Request Details button.
• Then, select Schedule Your Visit and fill out the form.

This depends on your child’s age, temperament, and level of maturity. General tips for preparing for the first day of child care include:  

Please submit an inquiry to your center(s) of interest with a request for tuition information. We recommend scheduling a visit at the same time (this can be done on the same form).

Safety is our top priority, and it’s part of our everyday routine. All of our centers follow expert-informed health, safety, and security policies and allergy protocols. Additionally, health, safety, and wellness are built right into our curriculum, and our classrooms and spaces are safely designed for learning and exploration.