Sec Form 4 Filing - ABS PARTNERS IV LLC @ AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC - 2008-03-03

FORM 4 Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).

UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP 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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1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ABS PARTNERS IV LLC 2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol AMERICAN PUBLIC EDUCATION INC [ APEI] 5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable) X __ Director X __ 10% Owner _____ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below) (Last) (First) (Middle) 400 EAST PRATT STREET, SUITE 910 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (MM/DD/YY) 03/03/2008 (Street) BALTIMORE, MD21202-3116 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line) _____ Form filed by One Reporting Person __ X __ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person (City) (State) (Zip)

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned 1.Title of Security (Instr. 3) 2. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 3. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr. 3, 4 and 5) 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 3 and 4) 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price Common Stock, par value $.01 03/03/2008 S 102,649 D $ 33.5475 4,082,018 I ( 1 ) By ABS Capital Partners IV, LP Common Stock, par value $.01 03/03/2008 S 3,437 D $ 33.5475 136,677 I ( 1 ) By ABS Capital Partners IV-A, LP Common Stock, par value $.01 03/03/2008 S 5,895 D $ 33.5475 234,431 I ( 1 ) By ABS Capital Partners IV Offshore, LP Common Stock, par value $.01 03/03/2008 S 4,019 D $ 33.5475 159,826 I ( 1 ) By ABS Capital Partners IV Special Offshore, LP Common Stock, par value $.01 2,752 I See Footnote 2 ( 2 )

Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned ( e.g. , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities) 1. Title of Derivative Security (Instr. 3) 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 4. Transaction Code (Instr. 8) 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D) (Instr . 3, 4, and 5) 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YY) 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities (Instr. 3 and 4) 8. Price of Derivative Security (Instr. 5) 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s) (Instr. 4) 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 4) 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 4) Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other ABS PARTNERS IV LLC 400 EAST PRATT STREET SUITE 910 BALTIMORE, MD21202-3116 X X HEBB DONALD B JR 400 EAST PRATT STREET SUITE 910 BALTIMORE, MD21202-3116 X X STOBO JOHN D JR 400 EAST PRATT STREET SUITE 910 BALTIMORE, MD21202-3116 X X CLOUGH PHILLIP A 400 EAST PRATT STREET SUITE 910 BALTIMORE, MD21202-3116 X X WITT LAURA 400 EAST PRATT STREET SUITE 910 BALTIMORE, MD21202-3116 X X EMRY FREDERIS G III 400 EAST PRATT STREET SUITE 910 BALTIMORE, MD21202-3116 X X WEGLICKI TIMOTHY T 400 EAST PRATT STREET SUITE 910 BALTIMORE, MD21202 X X TERKOWITZ RALPH S 400 E. PRATT STREET SUITE 910 BALTIMORE, MD21202 X X GOSWAMI ASHOKE 400 E. PRATT STREET SUITE 910 BALTIMORE, MD21202 X X Signatures Phillip A. Clough 03/05/2008 Signature of Reporting Person Date Donald B. Hebb 03/05/2008 Signature of Reporting Person Date Timothy T. Weglicki 03/05/2008 Signature of Reporting Person Date John D. Stobo 03/05/2008 Signature of Reporting Person Date Frederic G. Emry 03/05/2008 Signature of Reporting Person Date Ashoke Goswami 03/05/2008 Signature of Reporting Person Date Ralph S. Terkowitz 03/05/2008 Signature of Reporting Person Date Laura L. Witt 03/05/2008 Signature of Reporting Person Date Donald B. Hebb, Managing Member of ABS Partners IV, L.L.C. 03/05/2008 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )ABS Partners IV L.L.C., as the general partner (the "General Partner") of ABS Capital Partners IV, LP, ABS Capital Partners IV-A, LP, ABS Capital IV Offshore, ABS Capital IV Special Offshore, LP (collectively, the "Funds"), and Donald B. Hebb, Jr., Phillip A. Clough, John D. Stobo, Jr., Frederic G. Emry, Ashoke Goswami, Ralph S. Terkowitz, Timothy T. Weglicki and Laura L. Witt, as the managing members of the General Partner (the "Managers"), are indirect beneficial owners of the reported securities. The General Partner and each of the Managers disclaim beneficial ownership of these shares except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein. The General Partner of the Funds has voting and dispositive power over these shares. ( 2 )Phillip A. Clough and Timothy T. Weglicki each hold 1,376 shares, which include Restricted Stock Awards to each of them of 1,148 shares granted pursuant to the American Public Education, Inc. 2007 Omnibus Incentive Plan. The awards vest on the earlier of the one year anniversary of the date of grant and immediately prior to the 2008 Annual Meeting of stockholders. The General Partner and the other Managers are indirect beneficial owners of the reported securities. The General Partner and each of the Managers disclaim beneficial ownership of the shares owned by Phillip A. Clough and Timothy T. Weglicki except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.

Remarks: This filing constitutes one of two related filings by the following joint reporting persons with respect to the securities of the issuer set forth hereon: ABS Capital Partners IV, L.P., ABS Capital Partners IV-A, L.P., ABS Capital Partners IV Offshore, L.P., ABS Capital Partners IV Special Offshore, L.P., ABS Partners IV, L.L.C., Donald B. Hebb, Jr., Phillip A. Clough, John D. Stobo, Jr., Frederic G. Emry, Ashoke Goswami, Ralph S. Terkowitz, Timothy T. Weglicki and Laura L. Witt. The Funds may each be deemed a director by deputization as a result of Phillip A. Clough and Timothy T. Weglicki, each a manager of the General Partner, serving on the board of directors of American Public Education, Inc.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).

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