Segment Reporting - Summary Financial Information by Reporting Segment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended															12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015	[2]	Jun. 30, 2015	[3]	Mar. 31, 2015	[4]	Dec. 31, 2014		Sep. 30, 2014	[6]	Jun. 30, 2014	[7]	Mar. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	$ 199,947	[1]	$ 203,484		$ 216,828		$ 227,014		$ 217,501	[5]	$ 227,324		$ 228,738		$ 240,401	$ 847,273	$ 913,964	$ 1,017,230
Operating (Loss) Income	(3,929)	[1]	$ (43,989)		$ (19,892)		$ (24,358)		(23,920)	[5]	$ (44,334)		$ (31,023)		$ (39,995)	(92,168)	(139,272)	(162,059)
Depreciation and amortization																24,938	53,382	62,237
Capital Expenditures																11,695	13,156	19,636
Total Assets	610,915								573,534							610,915	573,534
University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																549,864	535,469	577,692
Operating (Loss) Income																93,016	60,080	59,522
Depreciation and amortization																3,917	4,956	5,897
Capital Expenditures																3,490	1,544	280
Total Assets	129,664								125,213							129,664	125,213
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																157	230
Operating (Loss) Income																(27,267)	(21,169)	(33,600)
Depreciation and amortization																11,173	17,455	22,574
Capital Expenditures																4,873	4,545	6,272
Total Assets	372,405								332,672							372,405	332,672
Subtotal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																550,021	535,699	577,692
Operating (Loss) Income																65,749	38,911	25,922
Depreciation and amortization																15,090	22,411	28,471
Capital Expenditures																8,363	6,089	6,552
Total Assets	502,069								457,885							502,069	457,885
Culinary Arts [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																170,190	172,606	177,549
Operating (Loss) Income																(57,577)	(66,556)	(81,218)
Depreciation and amortization																1	17,363	17,082
Capital Expenditures																2,352	2,292	705
Total Assets	71,197								76,846							71,197	76,846
Transitional Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																127,062	205,659	261,989
Operating (Loss) Income																(100,340)	(111,627)	(106,763)
Depreciation and amortization																9,847	13,608	16,684
Capital Expenditures																980	4,775	6,251
Total Assets	28,584								37,355							28,584	37,355
CTU [Member] | University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																348,215	336,573	346,086
Operating (Loss) Income																87,496	69,492	65,078
Depreciation and amortization																2,281	2,627	2,828
Capital Expenditures																1,084	628	158
Total Assets	76,577								73,458							76,577	73,458
AIU [Member] | University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue																201,649	198,896	231,606
Operating (Loss) Income																5,520	(9,412)	(5,556)
Depreciation and amortization																1,636	2,329	3,069
Capital Expenditures																2,406	916	122
Total Assets	53,087								51,755							53,087	51,755
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Capital Expenditures																		$ 6,128
Total Assets	$ 9,065								$ 1,448							$ 9,065	$ 1,448

[1] Fourth quarter of 2015 net income included $9.7 million of impairment charges, of which $9.0 million was related to Culinary Arts. Furthermore, fourth quarter of 2015 net income included a $109.8 million benefit related to the partial release of our valuation allowance recorded against our deferred tax assets.

[2] Third quarter of 2015 net losses included $33.4 million of impairment charges related to Culinary Arts.

[3] Second quarter of 2015 net loss included $9.7 million of impairment charges related to Culinary Arts and $1.7 million of impairment charges related to the Transitional Group.

[4] First quarter of 2015 net loss included $6.0 million of impairment charges related to the Transitional Group.

[5] Fourth quarter of 2014 net loss included $14.2 million of trade name and asset impairment charges, of which $10.3 million was related to Culinary Arts. Additionally, the fourth quarter of 2014 included a decrease of $12.3 million of revenue, a decrease of $9.9 million of bad debt expense for a cumulative adjustment related to revenue recognition for withdrawn students.

[6] Third quarter of 2014 net loss included $3.0 million of trade name impairments, $11.5 million of asset impairment charges and $8.6 million of income related to an insurance recovery.

[7] Second quarter of 2014 net loss included $7.4 million of trade name impairment charges related to Culinary Arts.