Valley Forge Military Academy to Close at End of 2025-26 School Year

Lead Valley Forge Military Academy in Wayne, Pennsylvania, announced today it will cease operations on May 30, 2026, citing rising tuition, declining enrollment and surging insurance costs.

Nut Graf The closure ends nearly a century of cadet education at the storied college-prep boarding school, underscoring financial pressures on private military academies and prompting support efforts for affected students and staff.

Financial Strain Drives Decision

  • Trustees ruled the academy “no longer viable” after soaring liability premiums and fewer insurers willing to underwrite coverage added to families’ cost burdens.
  • Enrollment has fallen sharply, with just 90 cadets currently enrolled compared with about 300 in 2011, reducing tuition revenue - the school’s “lifeblood” - to unsustainable levels.

Legacy and Transition Support

  • The last 98th Corps of Cadets will graduate under the academy’s banner on May 30, 2026.
  • Valley Forge Military College, a separately governed two-year program on the same campus, will continue operations uninterrupted.
  • Trustees pledged transition assistance for cadets seeking new placements and support for faculty and staff through the end of the academic year.

Alumni and Community Reactions

  • Board Chair Gray Beck hailed the institution’s tradition of developing “resilient young men of character,” promising its legacy will endure among thousands of graduates and supporters.
  • Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, a 1994 alumnus, lauded the academy’s impact on his personal development and expressed gratitude for its character-building mission.
  • Current senior Andrew Tuturice celebrated the opportunity to graduate as part of Valley Forge’s final class, calling the academy “one big family” that shaped his future.

Campus and Historical Impact Founded in 1928, Valley Forge Military Academy produced notable figures including Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster and author J.D. Salinger. Its closure marks the end of an era on the Main Line, where military discipline and leadership training have been hallmarks for generations.

Moving Forward The board’s focus remains on maintaining normalcy for cadets through the transition and preserving academy traditions via alumni engagement. Meanwhile, Valley Forge Military College aims to leverage its two-year offerings and leadership programs to sustain the institution’s broader educational mission.