Ownership Submission
FORM 3
 UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
  Powell Karan
 2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (Month/Day/Year)
08/26/2011		 3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC [APEI]
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
111 W. CONGRESS STREET		 4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
See General Remarks
 5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
(Street)

CHARLES TOWN, WV 25414		 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned
(Instr. 4)		 3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Common Stock, par value $0.01 3,580 (1)
D
 

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly. SEC 1473 (7-02)
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Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned (e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security
(Instr. 4)		 4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 5)		 6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 5)
Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (2) 07/13/2016 Common Stock 6,600 $ 3.2935 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (2) 07/13/2016 Common Stock 2,158 $ 3.2935 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (3) 01/01/2016 Common Stock 4,625 $ 37.19 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (4) 01/04/2017 Common Stock 5,500 $ 34.8 D  
Employee Stock Option (right to buy)   (5) 01/03/2018 Common Stock 5,000 $ 37.52 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
Director 10% Owner Officer Other
Powell Karan
111 W. CONGRESS STREET
CHARLES TOWN, WV 25414		       See General Remarks  

Signatures

/s/ Harry T. Wilkins, Attorney-in-Fact 09/06/2011
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) All shares of common stock are Restricted Stock Awards made pursuant to the American Public Education, Inc. 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan.
(2) As of the date of this report, all shares were exercisable.
(3) As of the date of this report 3,084 shares were exercisable. The remaining shares underlying the option become exercisable on January 1, 2012.
(4) As of the date of this report 1,834 shares were exercisable. The remaining shares underlying the option become exercisable in two equal installments on January 4, 2012 and 2013.
(5) The shares underlying this option become exercisable in three equal installments on January 3, 2012, 2013 and 2014.
 
Remarks:
Executive Vice President, Provost of American Public University System

                 Exhibit List
Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney for Karan Powell

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