Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill) (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	$ 1,396,963	$ 1,485,946
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	(108,341)	(168,031)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	1,288,622	1,317,915
Reallocation, net		0
Acquisitions	128,919	7,934
Dispositions	(40,083)	(13,602)
Reclassification to discontinued operations	(810)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	(27,938)	(23,625)
Goodwill, ending balance	1,457,051	1,396,963
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(108,341)	(108,341)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	1,348,710	1,288,622
Education [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	1,073,433	1,097,058
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	(102,259)	(102,259)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	971,174	994,799
Reallocation, net		0
Acquisitions	14,963	0
Dispositions	(2,422)	0
Reclassification to discontinued operations	(810)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	(27,938)	(23,625)
Goodwill, ending balance	1,057,226	1,073,433
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(102,259)	(102,259)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	954,967	971,174
Higher Education [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	409,016	409,184
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	409,016	409,184
Acquisitions	1,052
Dispositions	0
Reclassification to discontinued operations	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	(184)	(168)
Goodwill, ending balance	409,884	409,016
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	409,884	409,016
Test Preparation [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	152,187	152,187
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	(102,259)	(102,259)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	49,928	49,928
Acquisitions	13,911
Dispositions	0
Reclassification to discontinued operations	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	166,098	152,187
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(102,259)	(102,259)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	63,839	49,928
Kaplan International [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	512,230	535,687
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	512,230	535,687
Acquisitions	0
Dispositions	(2,422)
Reclassification to discontinued operations	(810)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	(27,754)	(23,457)
Goodwill, ending balance	481,244	512,230
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	481,244	512,230
Cable [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	85,488	85,488
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	85,488	85,488
Reallocation, net		0
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	0
Reclassification to discontinued operations	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	85,488	85,488
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	85,488	85,488
Newspaper Publishing [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	0	81,183
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	0	(65,772)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	0	15,411
Reallocation, net		(1,809)
Acquisitions	0	0
Dispositions	0	(13,602)
Reclassification to discontinued operations	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	0	0
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	0	0
Television Broadcasting [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	203,165	203,165
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	203,165	203,165
Reallocation, net		0
Acquisitions	2,841	0
Dispositions	(37,661)	0
Reclassification to discontinued operations	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	168,345	203,165
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	168,345	203,165
Other Businesses [Member]
Goodwill [Roll Forward]
Goodwill, beginning balance	34,877	19,052
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	(6,082)	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	28,795	19,052
Reallocation, net		1,809
Acquisitions	111,115	7,934
Dispositions	0	0
Reclassification to discontinued operations	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	145,992	34,877
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(6,082)	(6,082)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	$ 139,910	$ 28,795