Education

None on post. There are five school districts located within 12 miles of the Carlisle Barracks/US Army War College. The Carlisle Area School District (CASD) is the school district that serves the students living on post and in the areas located closest to the Army War College. There are seven elementary schools (three serve the installation), two middle schools, and one high school in the CASD. 623 W. Penn Street, Carlisle, PA 17013, phone, 717-240-6800. The other school districts in the local area are Cumberland Valley, Boiling Springs, Mechanicsburg, Dillsburg, and Big Springs. 

Five of those school districts are located within 12 miles of the Carlisle Barracks/US Army War College. We are pleased to report that public school systems in the Carlisle area and surrounding communities provide a quality educational experience for school-aged students. Due to the small size of our installation, there are not any public schools located on Post. Information about the Carlisle area school system can be researched below.

Students living on Carlisle Barracks primarily attend:

• Bellaire Elementary School (K-5)
• Hamilton Elementary School (K-5)
• LeTort Elementary School (K-5)
• Wilson Middle School (6-8)
• Lamberton Middle School (6-8)
• Carlisle High School (9-12)
• Carlisle Area School District (CASD)

School Registration Information

Initial registration for all students attending any Carlisle Area District school should be completed online before arrival at Carlisle Barracks. As soon as you know you are coming to the Army War College begin coordinating with your present counselor and the Carlisle Area School District Student Registrar, 717-240-6800, ext. 17803.

The Army Continuing Education System’s (ACES) mission is to vigorously promote lifelong learning opportunities to sharpen the competitive edge of the Army. ACES is committed to excellence in service, innovation and deployability. The ACES mission promotes lifelong learning, readiness and resilience through flexible and relevant education programs, services and systems in support of the Total Army family.

Education Counseling: Counselors are available to counsel military personnel, family members, retirees, and civilians to help them develop and achieve their personal goals for self-improvement in education. Counselors also provide education briefings, authorize tuition assistance/credentialling assistance to Army military personnel, discuss Veteran’s benefits and financial aid available, assist in the evaluation of military training and experience, oversee testing, and recommend, analyze and interpret results.

Testing: Army personnel testing is a large part of the testing program. Current tests available to Soldiers are as follows: Armed Forces Classification Test (AFCT), Test of Adult Basic Education (TABE), Defense Language Aptitude Battery (DLAB), Defense Language Proficiency Test (DLPT), Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI), and the Selection Instrument for Flight Training (SIFT). The Carlisle Barracks Education Center also offers the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) as well as the DoD Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program testing. Interest and skills inventories are also available. Testing is by appointment only.

The Multi-use Learning Facility (MLF) is located in Room 200 of Upton Hall (Building 22). Hours are 8 a.m.-noon and 1 p.m.-4 p.m. Mon-Fri when not being used for testing.  717-245-4135

School Support Services provides access to a wide range of resources to facilitate smooth transitions for school-aged students from one installation to another.

School Liaison Officer (SLO) serves as a conduit of school information and is the primary point of contact for public and private school matters.

Our School Liaison Officer in Child & Youth Services is here to assist you and your Family with all dimensions of school life as you transition to the Carlisle Area.

Call the SLO at 717-245-4638.

Dickinson College

The first college chartered in the newly-recognized United States of America in 1783. It was named to honor John Dickinson, the penman of the American Revolution and a signer of the Constitution. Dickinson is a residential liberal arts college and recognized as a leader in global and sustainability education. Their undergraduate enrollment is 2,100 with students recognizing 43 states and territories as well as Washington, DC, and 40 countries. With 46 majors, they offer Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees. They offer a 9:1 faculty-to-student ratio, and the average class size is 17 students.

Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC)

Established in 1964, HACC is the first and largest of Pennsylvania's community colleges. HACC has several off-site learning locations and five campuses: Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York. With over 100 programs, they offer Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Science (AS), Associate of Fine Arts (AFA), Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degrees; Certificates of Completion and Proficiency; as well as Diplomas. 

Messiah University

Messiah University, located in Mechanicsburg, PA, is a nationally ranked, private Christian university with a student body of 3,392 undergraduate and graduate students. The University was founded in 1909 by the Brethren in Christ Church. Messiah offers an honors program, over 80 undergraduate academic programs, and over 21 graduate degrees.

Penn State Harrisburg

Penn State Harrisburg is an undergraduate college and graduate school of the Pennsylvania State University, one of the nation’s largest and most widely recognized academic institutions. The campus enrolls more than 4,500 students and offers over 70 undergraduate and graduate programs, granting associate's, bachelor's master's, and doctoral degrees. Of particular interest to military families, Penn State Harrisburg has expertise in serving transfer students and was an early provider of online education. 

Shippensburg University

Founded in 1871 as the Cumberland Valley State Normal School, Shippensburg University (Ship) is a member of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education serving almost 7,000 students with over 250 undergraduate and graduate programs. While most are Pennsylvania residents, Ship has also attracted students from 15 nations and 20 other states. They are the only state university in Pennsylvania to offer degrees in Civil Engineering (BS), Computer Engineering (BS), Electrical Engineering (BS), Entrepreneurship (BSBA), Mechanical Engineering (BS) and Software Engineering (BS).They have one of only eight Bachelor of Science in criminal justice programs in the United States certified by the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences, and one of only three programs in Pennsylvania accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. Ship is located 40 miles southwest of Harrisburg in the beautiful Cumberland Valley.

Wilson College

Located in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Wilson College’s campus has gracious lawns, mature trees and rolling hills. The beautiful 300-acre campus is on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district and the Conococheague Creek runs through it.Wilson is an independent college dedicated to the education of women, rigorous study in the liberal arts and sciences, and strong career preparation. Wilson is committed to the life of the mind and spirit, to environmental sustainability, and to preparing articulate, ethical leaders who will serve their communities and professions effectively in an increasingly complex, interdependent, and global world. The College is distinguished by its supportive, diverse and close-knit community.