Acquisitions (Details) $ in Thousands, £ in Millions							3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2020 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2020 USD ($)	Jan. 01, 2020 GBP (£)	Jul. 01, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2021 USD ($)	Jan. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Apr. 30, 2020 USD ($) Business
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Fair value of cash consideration transferred, including those amounts paid after acquisition, net of cash acquired									$ 298,590	$ 200,642
Revenue							$ 482,912	$ 467,131	1,405,249	1,356,866
Operating loss							(34,327)	(48,494)	(134,271)	(116,444)
Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill	$ 1,297,059		$ 1,116,790				1,297,059		1,297,059		$ 1,116,790
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets	125,287		142,716				125,287		125,287		142,716
Liabilities [Abstract]
Operating Lease Liabilities	173,996						173,996		173,996
Research Publishing & Platforms [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Revenue							239,850	233,556	731,994	697,640
Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill	609,084		448,130				609,084		609,084		448,130
Academic & Professional Learning [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Revenue							174,115	178,278	471,618	500,861
Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill	512,962		501,091				512,962		512,962		501,091
Education Services [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Revenue							68,947	$ 55,297	201,637	$ 158,365
Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill	175,013		167,569				175,013		$ 175,013		167,569
Hindawi [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Percentage of ownership interest acquired		100.00%
Fair value of consideration transferred		$ 300,086
Total cash consideration transferred		299,300
Settlement of preexisting relationship		800
Cash acquired		1,000
Fair value of cash consideration transferred, including those amounts paid after acquisition, net of cash acquired		298,300
Acquisition costs		2,300
Assets [Abstract]
Current Assets		2,902
Technology, Property and Equipment, net		844
Intangible Assets, net		194,400
Goodwill		141,775
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets		3,716
Other non-current assets		177
Total Assets		343,814
Liabilities [Abstract]
Current Liabilities		3,657
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities		36,936
Operating Lease Liabilities		3,135
Total Liabilities		43,728
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired		194,400
Hindawi [Member] | Research Publishing & Platforms [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Revenue							1,600
Operating loss							3,700
Hindawi [Member] | Content and Publishing Rights [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired		188,500
Weighted-average useful life									15 years
Hindawi [Member] | Developed Technology [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired		4,500
Weighted-average useful life									5 years
Hindawi [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired		400
Weighted-average useful life									15 years
Hindawi [Member] | Trademarks [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired		$ 1,000
Weighted-average useful life									2 years
mthree [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Percentage of ownership interest acquired				100.00%	100.00%
Fair value of consideration transferred	123,531		122,242	$ 129,900	£ 98.5
Total cash consideration transferred				122,200
Cash acquired				2,200
Fair value of cash consideration transferred, including those amounts paid after acquisition, net of cash acquired				126,400
Assets [Abstract]
Current Assets	9,223		8,750				9,223		$ 9,223		8,750
Technology, Property and Equipment, net	484		484				484		484		484
Intangible Assets, net	56,836		56,836				56,836		56,836		56,836
Goodwill	82,561		82,561				82,561		82,561		82,561
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets	3,710		3,710				3,710		3,710		3,710
Total Assets	152,814		152,341				152,814		152,814		152,341
Liabilities [Abstract]
Current Liabilities	13,564		14,380				13,564		13,564		14,380
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	12,722		12,722				12,722		12,722		12,722
Operating Lease Liabilities	2,692		2,692				2,692		2,692		2,692
Other Long-Term Liabilities	305		305				305		305		305
Total Liabilities	29,283		30,099				29,283		29,283		30,099
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired				56,836
mthree [Member] | Education Services [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Revenue							7,700		$ 32,600
mthree [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired				48,792
Weighted-average useful life									12 years
mthree [Member] | Trademarks [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired				6,725
Weighted-average useful life									10 years
mthree [Member] | Content [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired				$ 1,319
Weighted-average useful life									4 years
mthree [Member] | Adjustment [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Fair value of consideration transferred	1,289
Assets [Abstract]
Current Assets	473						473		$ 473
Technology, Property and Equipment, net	0						0		0
Intangible Assets, net	0						0		0
Goodwill	0						0		0
Operating Lease Right-of-Use Assets	0						0		0
Total Assets	473						473		473
Liabilities [Abstract]
Current Liabilities	(816)						(816)		(816)
Deferred Income Tax Liabilities	0						0		0
Operating Lease Liabilities	0						0		0
Other Long-Term Liabilities	0						0		0
Total Liabilities	(816)						(816)		(816)
zyBooks [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Total cash consideration transferred						$ 55,900
Assets [Abstract]
Intangible Assets, net			24,500								24,500
zyBooks [Member] | Academic & Professional Learning [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Fair value of consideration transferred						57,100
Fair value of additional consideration to be paid after the acquisition date						$ 1,200			300
Revenue							0		1,300
Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill			$ 36,900								36,900
Other Acquisitions [Member]
Acquisitions [Abstract]
Fair value of cash consideration transferred, including those amounts paid after acquisition, net of cash acquired											$ 48,500
Revenue							4,700		11,100
Assets [Abstract]
Intangible Assets, net	39,400						39,400		39,400
Goodwill	16,900						16,900		16,900
Other Acquisitions [Member] | Revision of Prior Period, Reclassification, Adjustment [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Intangible Assets, net	11,700						11,700		11,700
Other Acquisitions [Member] | Research Publishing & Platforms [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill	8,400						8,400		8,400
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Number of immaterial businesses acquired | Business											2
Other Acquisitions [Member] | Academic & Professional Learning [Member]
Assets [Abstract]
Goodwill	$ 8,500						$ 8,500		$ 8,500
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Number of immaterial businesses acquired | Business											1
Other Acquisitions [Member] | Education Services [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Number of immaterial businesses acquired | Business											1
Other Acquisitions [Member] | Developed Technology [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Weighted-average useful life									8 years
Other Acquisitions [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Weighted-average useful life									7 years
Other Acquisitions [Member] | Trademarks [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Weighted-average useful life									10 years
Other Acquisitions [Member] | Content [Member]
Identifiable intangible assets acquired and weighted-average useful life [Abstract]
Weighted-average useful life									10 years