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Accounting Policies (Details) |  |  |  | 1 Months Ended | 3 Months Ended | 6 Months Ended | 12 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Nov. 03, 2014 USD ($) | Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Jul. 31, 2014 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2014 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) | Jun. 30, 2015 USD ($) Segment | Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($) units Segment | Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2012 USD ($) | Dec. 31, 2011 USD ($)
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Number of reportable segments | Segment |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 | 4 |  |  |
Cash proceeds from sale of business |  |  |  |  | $ 11,000,000 |  |  | $ 11,000,000 |  |  |  |
Market value of investments |  |  | $ 1,617,000,000 |  | 1,720,000,000 | $ 1,617,000,000 | $ 1,542,000,000 | 1,720,000,000 | $ 2,497,000,000 | $ 1,542,000,000 | $ 760,000,000 | $ 835,000,000
Deferred technology costs, gross |  |  |  |  |  |  | 131,000,000 |  | 123,000,000 | 131,000,000 |  |
Accumulated amortization of deferred technology costs |  |  |  |  |  |  | 71,000,000 |  | 55,000,000 | 71,000,000 |  |
Fair value of our long-term debt borrowings |  |  |  |  | $ 1,600,000,000 |  |  | $ 1,600,000,000 | 900,000,000 |  |  |
After-tax gain (loss) on sale of business |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 160,000,000 | 589,000,000 | 0 |
Non-cash impairment charge |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 0 |
Non-cash impairment charge associated with the an intangible asset acquired |  |  |  |  |  |  | 26,000,000 |  |  | 26,000,000 |  |
Number of operating segments | units |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4 |  |  |
Cost of advertisement |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 35,000,000 | 41,000,000 | $ 31,000,000 |
Long-term Debt [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Fair value of our long-term debt borrowings |  |  |  |  |  |  | 801,000,000 |  | $ 871,000,000 | $ 801,000,000 |  |
Other (Income) Loss [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-cash impairment charge |  |  |  |  |  | $ 6,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |
Non-cash impairment charge |  |  |  |  |  |  | 36,000,000 |  |  |  |  |
Harold W. McGraw III [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amount of transaction with related party |  | $ 20,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Minimum [Member] | Software and Software Development Costs [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 3 years |  |  |
Minimum [Member] | Building Improvements [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 15 years |  |  |
Minimum [Member] | Equipment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2 years |  |  |
Maximum [Member] | Software and Software Development Costs [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 7 years |  |  |
Maximum [Member] | Building Improvements [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 40 years |  |  |
Maximum [Member] | Equipment [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, plant and equipment useful life |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 10 years |  |  |
McGraw Hill Construction [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash proceeds from sale of business | $ 320,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
After-tax gain (loss) on sale of business |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 160,000,000 |  |  |
Data Center [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Cash proceeds from sale of business |  |  | 58,000,000 | $ 58,000,000 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Data Center [Member] | Other (Income) Loss [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
After-tax gain (loss) on sale of business |  |  | $ (3,000,000) |  |  |  | $ 3,000,000 |  |  |  |  |

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