Contingencies (Details) (USD $) In Thousands	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Face amount of surety bonds	$ 30,000
Approximate claims and contingencies related to business transactions, guarantee arrangements, employed related matters, taxes and others	32,000
Education Loan Under 2009 Loan Program [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Principal amount for private education loans	141,000
Education Loan Under 2007 Loan Program [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
Principal amount for private education loans	180,000
Variable Interest Entity, Not Primary Beneficiary [Member]
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]
PEAKS Senior Debt maturity date	January 2020
Maximum future payments for PEAKS Senior Debt	$ 300,000

The maximum potential amount of future payments (undiscounted) the guarantor could be required to make for the principal amount of the Senior Debt issued by a third party that is covered under the guarantee.

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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The total estimated initial principal balance of the loans that the party is expected to purchase that would be subject to the reporting entity's guarantee.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	esi
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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Maximum potential payments that entity could be required to reimburse issuer of surety bonds in the event that the issuer is required to make payment.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Describe the approximate term of the guarantee or each group of similar guarantees.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name FASB Interpretation (FIN)

-Number 45

-Paragraph 13

-Subparagraph a

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 460

-SubTopic 10

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (a)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6851643&loc=d3e12069-110248

+ Details

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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ Details

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- Definition

Reflects the estimated amount of loss from the specified contingency as of the balance sheet date.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 4

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14435-108349

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 450

-SubTopic 20

-Section 50

-Paragraph 9

-Subparagraph (b)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6952336&loc=d3e14557-108349

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant