CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (unaudited) - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 203,178	$ 242,561	$ 647,384	$ 718,580
Costs and expenses:
Cost of educational services	93,274	117,539	298,692	353,930
Student services and administrative expenses	84,622	100,440	266,282	297,225
Goodwill impairment	5,203	0	5,203	0
Settlements and legal and professional fees related to certain lawsuits, investigations and accounting matters	6,813	11,269	20,104	25,196
Loss related to loan program guarantees	0	2,019	0	2,019
Provision for private education loan losses	754	4,511	5,311	13,582
Total costs and expenses	190,666	235,778	595,592	691,952
Operating income	12,512	6,783	51,792	26,628
Gain on consolidation of variable interest entity	0	16,631	0	16,631
Interest income	22	17	57	51
Interest (expense)	(9,709)	(9,292)	(30,088)	(28,315)
Income before provision for income taxes	2,825	14,139	21,761	14,995
Provision for income taxes	1,137	6,017	8,910	6,266
Net income	$ 1,688	$ 8,122	$ 12,851	$ 8,729
Earnings per share:
Basic	$ 0.07	$ 0.35	$ 0.54	$ 0.37
Diluted	$ 0.07	$ 0.34	$ 0.54	$ 0.37
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic	23,692	23,483	23,625	23,463
Diluted	23,937	23,703	23,947	23,668