Segment Reporting - Summary Financial Information by Reporting Segment (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2018	Dec. 31, 2018
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 156,441	$ 142,036	$ 314,294	$ 290,101
Percentage of total revenue		100.00%	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 184	$ 11,303	$ 30,155	$ 31,832
Total Assets	[1]	561,799		561,799		$ 482,493
Discontinued Operations [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Total Assets	[1]	298		298		178
University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue		$ 156,428	$ 141,845	$ 314,264	$ 289,573
Percentage of total revenue		100.00%	99.90%	100.00%	99.80%
Operating Income (Loss)		$ 7,896	$ 25,531	$ 45,899	$ 56,852
Total Assets	[1]	162,947		162,947		135,846
Corporate and Other [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	[2],[3]	13	$ 191	30	$ 528
Percentage of total revenue	[2]		0.10%		0.20%
Operating Income (Loss)	[2]	(7,712)	$ (14,228)	(15,744)	$ (25,020)
Total Assets	[1],[2]	398,554		398,554		346,469
CTU [Member] | University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	[4]	$ 96,555	$ 93,266	$ 193,612	$ 187,873
Percentage of total revenue	[4]	61.70%	65.70%	61.60%	64.80%
Operating Income (Loss)	[4]	$ 12,113	$ 27,116	$ 41,804	$ 54,301
Total Assets	[1]	97,655		97,655		76,713
AIU [Member] | University Group [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Revenue	[5]	$ 59,873	$ 48,579	$ 120,652	$ 101,700
Percentage of total revenue	[5]	38.30%	34.20%	38.40%	35.10%
Operating Income (Loss)	[5]	$ (4,217)	$ (1,585)	$ 4,095	$ 2,551
Total Assets	[1]	$ 65,292		$ 65,292		$ 59,133

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

[2] Corporate and Other includes results of operations for closed campuses.

[3] Revenue recorded within Corporate and Other relates to closed campuses which are now reported within this category.

[4] A reserve of $18.6 million was recorded within CTU related to the FTC settlement during the quarter ended June 30, 2019.

[5] A reserve of $11.4 million was recorded within AIU related to the FTC settlement during the quarter ended June 30, 2019.