Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Changes in Carrying Amount of Goodwill) (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, beginning balance	$ 1,586,603	$ 1,543,077
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	(171,606)	(166,720)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	1,414,997	1,376,357
Acquisitions	23,606	78,643
Impairment	(102,259)	(11,923)
Dispositions	(29,000)	(21,144)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	10,571	(6,936)
Goodwill, ending balance	1,485,946	1,586,603
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(168,031)	(171,606)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	1,317,915	1,414,997
Education [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, beginning balance	1,116,615	1,073,089
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	(8,492)	(15,529)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	1,108,123	1,057,560
Acquisitions	7,364	78,643
Impairment	(102,259)	0
Dispositions	(29,000)	(21,144)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	10,571	(6,936)
Goodwill, ending balance	1,097,058	1,116,615
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(102,259)	(8,492)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	994,799	1,108,123
Higher Education [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, beginning balance	409,128	335,226
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	409,128	335,226
Reallocation, net		91,043
Acquisitions	0	422
Impairment	0
Dispositions	0	(17,479)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	56	(84)
Goodwill, ending balance	409,184	409,128
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	409,184	409,128
Test Preparation [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, beginning balance	152,187	229,486
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	0	(7,037)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	152,187	222,449
Reallocation, net		(70,262)
Acquisitions	0	0
Impairment	102,259
Dispositions	0	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	152,187	152,187
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(102,259)	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	49,928	152,187
Kaplan International [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, beginning balance	515,936	444,940
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	515,936	444,940
Reallocation, net		0
Acquisitions	7,364	74,803
Impairment	0
Dispositions	0	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	12,387	(3,807)
Goodwill, ending balance	535,687	515,936
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	535,687	515,936
Kaplan Ventures [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, beginning balance	39,364	63,437
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	(8,492)	(8,492)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	30,872	54,945
Reallocation, net		(20,781)
Acquisitions	0	3,418
Impairment	0
Dispositions	(29,000)	(3,665)
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	(1,872)	(3,045)
Goodwill, ending balance	0	39,364
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0	(8,492)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	0	30,872
Cable Television [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, beginning balance	85,488	85,488
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	85,488	85,488
Acquisitions	0	0
Impairment	0	0
Dispositions	0	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 [Line Items]
Goodwill, beginning balance	81,183	81,183
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	(65,772)	(65,772)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	15,411	15,411
Acquisitions	0	0
Impairment	0	0
Dispositions	0	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	81,183	81,183
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	(65,772)	(65,772)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	15,411	15,411
Television Broadcasting [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, beginning balance	203,165	203,165
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	203,165	203,165
Acquisitions	0	0
Impairment	0	0
Dispositions	0	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	203,165	203,165
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0	0
Goodwill, net, ending balance	203,165	203,165
Other Businesses [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Goodwill, beginning balance	100,152	100,152
Accumulated impairment losses, beginning balance	(97,342)	(85,419)
Goodwill, net, beginning balance	2,810	14,733
Acquisitions	16,242	0
Impairment	0	(11,923)
Dispositions	0	0
Foreign currency exchange rate changes and other	0	0
Goodwill, ending balance	19,052	100,152
Accumulated impairment losses, ending balance	0	(97,342)
Goodwill, net, ending balance	$ 19,052	$ 2,810