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Recent Accounting Standards, Changes in Accounting Policy Resulting from Adoption of Topic 606 (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended | 9 Months Ended |
--- | --- | --- | ---
Jan. 31, 2019 | Jan. 31, 2018 | Jan. 31, 2019 | Jan. 31, 2018 | Apr. 30, 2018
Assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net |  | $ 194,764 | [1] |  |  | $ 194,764 | [1] |  |  | $ 212,377
Product development assets |  | 62,004 |  |  |  | 62,004 |  |  |  | 78,814
Technology, property and equipment, net |  | 286,172 |  |  |  | 286,172 |  |  |  | 289,934
Other non-current assets |  | 93,279 |  |  |  | 93,279 |  |  |  | 85,802
Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accrued royalties |  | 135,863 |  |  |  | 135,863 |  |  |  | 73,007
Contract liability (Deferred revenue) |  | 271,541 | [1] |  |  | 271,541 | [1] |  |  | 486,353
Deferred income tax liabilities |  | 157,786 |  |  |  | 157,786 |  |  |  | 143,518
Retained earnings |  | 1,886,620 |  |  |  | 1,886,620 |  |  |  | 1,834,057
Revenue, net |  | 449,367 |  | $ 455,675 |  | 1,308,890 |  | $ 1,318,850 |  |
Cost of sales | [2] | 143,879 |  | $ 136,362 | [3] | 404,194 |  | $ 394,444 | [3] |
Accounts receivable, net |  | 194,764 | [1] |  |  | 194,764 | [1] |  |  | 212,377
Contract liability (Deferred revenue) |  | 271,541 | [1] |  |  | 271,541 | [1] |  |  | 486,353
Topic 606 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Amounts netted down from accounts receivable, net and deferred revenue |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 59,500
Revenue, net |  | 400 |  |  |  | 11,100 |  |  |  |
Cost of sales |  | (700) |  |  |  | 1,700 |  |  |  |
Topic 606 [Member] | Sales Return Reserve Provision [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net |  | (36,700) |  |  |  | (36,700) |  |  |  | (28,300)
Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contract liability (Deferred revenue) |  | 36,700 |  |  |  | 36,700 |  |  |  | 28,300
Accounts receivable, net |  | (36,700) |  |  |  | (36,700) |  |  |  | (28,300)
Contract liability (Deferred revenue) |  | $ 36,700 |  |  |  | $ 36,700 |  |  |  | 28,300
Adjustments due to Adoption [Member] | Topic 606 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 93,349
Product development assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (3,725)
Technology, property and equipment, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (361)
Other non-current assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 5,274
Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accrued royalties |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | (731)
Contract liability (Deferred revenue) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 89,364
Deferred income tax liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,400
Retained earnings |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 4,503
Accounts receivable, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 93,349
Contract liability (Deferred revenue) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 89,364
Balances without Adoption of Topic 606 [Member] | Topic 606 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net | [1],[4] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 212,377
Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Contract liability (Deferred revenue) | [1],[4] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 486,353
Accounts receivable, net | [1],[4] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 212,377
Contract liability (Deferred revenue) | [1],[4] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 486,353
Balances upon Adoption of Topic 606 [Member] | Topic 606 [Member] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Assets [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accounts receivable, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 305,726
Product development assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 75,089
Technology, property and equipment, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 289,573
Other non-current assets |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 91,076
Liabilities [Abstract] |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Accrued royalties |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 72,276
Contract liability (Deferred revenue) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 575,717
Deferred income tax liabilities |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 144,918
Retained earnings |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 1,838,560
Accounts receivable, net |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 305,726
Contract liability (Deferred revenue) |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | $ 575,717
[1] | Due to the adoption of the new revenue standard, the sales return reserve as of January 31, 2019 of $36.7 million is recorded in Contract Liability (Deferred Revenue). In prior periods, it was recorded as a reduction to Accounts Receivable, net on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.
[2] | In connection with the acquisition of The Learning House, Inc. ("Learning House"), we changed our accounting policy for certain advertising and marketing costs related to the Education Services business. Under the new accounting policy, these costs are included in Cost of Sales whereas they were previously included in Operating and Administrative Expenses on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Including these expenses in Cost of Sales will better align these costs with the related revenue and conform with the presentation of such costs for Learning House. This change in accounting policy was applied retrospectively. The Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income for the three and nine months ended January 31, 2018 have been reclassified to reflect this change in accounting policy. The impact of this reclassification was an increase to Cost of Sales and a corresponding decrease to Operating and Administrative Expenses of $11.2 million and $34.7 million for the three and nine months ended January 31, 2018, respectively. This reclassification had no impact on Revenue, net, Operating Income, Net Income, or Earnings per Share. Refer to Note 3, "Acquisition," in the Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.
[3] | Due to the retrospective adoption of Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2017-07, "Compensation-Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost,", total net benefits of $2.0 million and $6.0 million related to the non-service components of defined benefit and other post-employment benefit plans were reclassified from Operating and Administrative Expenses to Interest and Other Income for the three and nine months ended January 31, 2018, respectively. Total net benefits related to the non-service components of defined benefit and other post-employment benefit plans were $2.1 million and $6.6 million for the three and nine months ended January 31, 2019, respectively. Refer to Note 2, "Recent Accounting Standards," in the Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.
[4] | As noted above, prior period amounts have not been adjusted under the modified retrospective method.

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