Acquisitions and Dispositions	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Acquisitions And Dispositions [Abstract]
Acquisitions and Dispositions [Text Block]	7. ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS The Company completed business acquisitions totaling approximately $55.6 million, $136.5 million and $14.1 million, in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The assets and liabilities of the companies acquired have been recorded at their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. During 2012, the Company completed five business acquisitions totaling approximately $55.6 million. In November 2012, the Company completed its acquisition of a controlling interest in Celtic Healthcare, Inc. (Celtic), a provider of home health care and hospice services in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic regions. The operating results of Celtic are included in other businesses. The fair value of the noncontrolling interest in Celtic was $5.9 million at the acquisition date, determined using a market approach. The minority shareholder has an option to put their shares to the Company from 2018 to 2022, and the Company has an option to buy the shares of the minority shareholder in 2022. The Company also acquired three small businesses in its education division and one small business in other businesses. The purchase price allocations mostly comprised goodwill and other intangible assets on a preliminary basis. The Company divested its interest in Avenue100 Media Solutions in July 2012, which was previously reported in other businesses. Kaplan completed the sales of Kidum in August 2012, EduNeering in April 2012 and Kaplan Learning Technologies in February 2012, which were part of the Kaplan Ventures division. Consequently, the Company's income from continuing operations excludes results from these businesses, which have been reclassified to discontinued operations (see Note 3). In February 2013, the Company announced that it had signed an agreement to sell The Herald, a daily and Sunday newspaper headquartered in Everett, WA; the transaction is expected to close in March 2013. During 2011, the Company completed five business acquisitions totaling approximately $136.5 million, including assumed debt of $5.5 million and other assumed liabilities. Kaplan acquired three businesses in its Kaplan International division, one business in its KHE division and one business in its Kaplan Ventures division. These included the May 2011 acquisitions of Franklyn Scholar and Carrick Education Group, leading national providers of vocational training and higher education in Australia, and the June 2011 acquisition of Structuralia, a provider of e-learning for the engineering and infrastructure sector in Spain. During 2010, the Company acquired six businesses for $14.1 million. Kaplan acquired two small businesses in its KTP division, one small business in its Ventures division and one small business in its International division. The Company made two small acquisitions in its cable television and other businesses divisions. The purchase price allocations for these acquisitions mostly comprised goodwill, other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment. Kaplan completed the sales of KVE in July 2011 and KCS in October 2011, which were part of Kaplan Ventures and KHE, respectively. In April 2010, Kaplan completed the sale of Education Connection, which was part of Kaplan Ventures, and in September 2010, the Company completed the sale of Newsweek. Consequently, the Company's income from continuing operations excludes results from these businesses, which have been reclassified to discontinued operations (see Note 3).

Acquisitions and Dispositions

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2012

Acquisitions And Dispositions [Abstract]

Acquisitions and Dispositions [Text Block]

7. ACQUISITIONS AND DISPOSITIONS

The Company completed business acquisitions totaling approximately $55.6 million, $136.5 million and $14.1 million, in 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively. The assets and liabilities of the companies acquired have been recorded at their estimated fair values at the date of acquisition.

During 2012, the Company completed five business acquisitions totaling approximately $55.6 million. In November 2012, the Company completed its acquisition of a controlling interest in Celtic Healthcare, Inc. (Celtic), a provider of home health care and hospice services in the northeastern and mid-Atlantic regions. The operating results of Celtic are included in other businesses. The fair value of the noncontrolling interest in Celtic was $5.9 million at the acquisition date, determined using a market approach. The minority shareholder has an option to put their shares to the Company from 2018 to 2022, and the Company has an option to buy the shares of the minority shareholder in 2022. The Company also acquired three small businesses in its education division and one small business in other businesses. The purchase price allocations mostly comprised goodwill and other intangible assets on a preliminary basis.

The Company divested its interest in Avenue100 Media Solutions in July 2012, which was previously reported in other businesses. Kaplan completed the sales of Kidum in August 2012, EduNeering in April 2012 and Kaplan Learning Technologies in February 2012, which were part of the Kaplan Ventures division. Consequently, the Company's income from continuing operations excludes results from these businesses, which have been reclassified to discontinued operations (see Note 3).

In February 2013, the Company announced that it had signed an agreement to sell The Herald, a daily and Sunday newspaper headquartered in Everett, WA; the transaction is expected to close in March 2013.

During 2011, the Company completed five business acquisitions totaling approximately $136.5 million, including assumed debt of $5.5 million and other assumed liabilities. Kaplan acquired three businesses in its Kaplan International division, one business in its KHE division and one business in its Kaplan Ventures division. These included the May 2011 acquisitions of Franklyn Scholar and Carrick Education Group, leading national providers of vocational training and higher education in Australia, and the June 2011 acquisition of Structuralia, a provider of e-learning for the engineering and infrastructure sector in Spain. During 2010, the Company acquired six businesses for $14.1 million. Kaplan acquired two small businesses in its KTP division, one small business in its Ventures division and one small business in its International division. The Company made two small acquisitions in its cable television and other businesses divisions. The purchase price allocations for these acquisitions mostly comprised goodwill, other intangible assets and property, plant and equipment.

Kaplan completed the sales of KVE in July 2011 and KCS in October 2011, which were part of Kaplan Ventures and KHE, respectively. In April 2010, Kaplan completed the sale of Education Connection, which was part of Kaplan Ventures, and in September 2010, the Company completed the sale of Newsweek. Consequently, the Company's income from continuing operations excludes results from these businesses, which have been reclassified to discontinued operations (see Note 3).