This study examined parents` perceptions of private English education and determinants of their private coaching expenditures for their children. A total of 811 parents who have kids in third to sixth grade in the Busan area were asked to respond to a 65-item questionnaire consisting of 8 subsections: general aspects of private English education for elementary school kids, reasons for choosing private coaching, the instructional environment for private English education, effects of private education, difficulties with private coaching, conditions for discontinuing private English education, social policies, and English education in the school context, Frequency analysis, regression analysis, and meta-analysis were performed on the participants` responses to the questionnaire. The results showed that parents have distinct perceptions about private English education for their kids, and that there are 17 determinants of private coaching expenditures. Implications for policy making and closing the English divide are suggested.