Segment Reporting - Summary Financial Information by Reporting Segment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 31, 2017	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 162,109	$ 198,886
Percentage of total revenue		100.00%	100.00%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 9,781	$ 6,979
Total Assets	[1]	509,729		$ 559,601
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Assets	[1]	6,145		6,253
University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 148,288	$ 144,939
Percentage of total revenue		91.50%	72.90%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 27,676	$ 21,144
Total Assets	[1]	140,662		142,224
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating Income (Loss)		(4,549)	(5,812)
Total Assets	[1]	290,784		334,945
Subtotal [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 148,288	$ 144,939
Percentage of total revenue		91.50%	72.90%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 23,127	$ 15,332
Total Assets	[1]	431,446		477,169
Culinary Arts [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 10,289	$ 38,623
Percentage of total revenue		6.30%	19.40%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ (4,259)	$ 3,106
Total Assets	[1]	54,688		57,443
Transitional Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 3,532	$ 15,324
Percentage of total revenue		2.20%	7.70%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ (9,087)	$ (11,459)
Total Assets	[1]	17,450		18,736
CTU [Member] | University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 94,035	$ 91,966
Percentage of total revenue		58.00%	46.20%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 23,020	$ 19,237
Total Assets	[1]	72,828		76,143
AIU [Member] | University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 54,253	$ 52,973
Percentage of total revenue		33.50%	26.60%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 4,656	$ 1,907
Total Assets	[1]	$ 67,834		$ 66,081

[1] Total assets do not include intercompany receivable or payable activity between schools and corporate and investments in subsidiaries.