Discontinued Operations (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)	12 Months Ended			3 Months Ended	0 Months Ended	3 Months Ended						1 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2014 school	Oct. 01, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2014	Jan. 31, 2015 school
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition	$ 351,133,000	$ 157,449,000	$ 23,759,000
Provision (benefit) from income taxes	4,408,000	(20,559,000)	(3,868,000)
Kaplan China [Member] | Kaplan International [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of schools sold				3
Pre-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition	3,100,000
Sale Of Publishing Subsidiaries [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition					157,500,000
Amount received for all issued and outstanding equity securities					250,000,000
Sale Of Publishing Subsidiaries [Member] | Previously Reported [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
After-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition					100,000,000
Sale Of Publishing Subsidiaries [Member] | Adjustment [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
After-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition						(3,000,000)
Daily Herald [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition							100,000
Sale of Kaplan Learning Technologies [Member] | Education [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition								3,100,000
Sale of Kaplan EduNeering [Member] | Education [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition									29,500,000
Sale of Kidum [Member] | Education [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition										3,600,000
Sales of Kaplan EduNeering and Kaplan Learning Technologies [Member] | Education [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Provision (benefit) from income taxes								23,200,000
Disposition of Avenue 100 Media Solutions Inc. [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Value of subsidiary										0
Tax benefit on goodwill and other intangible asset impairment charges										0
Disposition of Avenue 100 Media Solutions Inc. [Member] | Other Businesses [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Pre-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition										(5,700,000)
Provision (benefit) from income taxes										44,500,000
Berkshire Exchange Transaction [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
After-tax gain (loss) on sale and/or disposition											$ (375,000,000)
Subsequent Event [Member] | Kaplan China [Member] | Kaplan International [Member]
Income Statement, Balance Sheet and Additional Disclosures by Disposal Groups, Including Discontinued Operations [Line Items]
Number of schools sold												1