Business Segments (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2013 Segment	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of reportable segments									6
Prior periods adjustments						$ 29,900,000
Foreign Revenues	888,899,000	872,529,000	889,596,000	836,840,000	895,891,000	877,637,000	854,430,000	827,612,000	3,487,864,000	3,455,570,000	3,525,997,000
Education [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of campuses announced to close or consolidate						13
Accrued restructuring costs	17,600,000				17,600,000				17,600,000	17,600,000
Higher Education [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring costs									19,500,000	23,400,000	13,200,000
Test Preparation [Member] | Lease and severance obligations and accelerated depreciation [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring costs											12,500,000
Kaplan International [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring costs									5,800,000	16,400,000	1,000,000
Kaplan International [Member] | Related to certain items recorded in 2011 and 2010 [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Prior periods adjustments							3,900,000
Education [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Restructuring costs									36,358,000	45,242,000	28,945,000
Television Broadcasting [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of television broadcast stations owned	6								6
Non U.S. [Member]
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Foreign Revenues									672,000,000	644,000,000	594,000,000
Foreign long-lived assets	$ 66,000,000				$ 58,000,000				$ 66,000,000	$ 58,000,000