Jodie Dahlin of Kunia is weighing a lot of factors as she looks at private schools for her second son, 4-year-old Jacob, who starts kindergarten next year.

There's location — is it near home or her work? And how academically challenging will it be for the wee fellow who already can write his name and read a bit? And, of course, one can't gloss over the cost factor.

The mother of three is also considering parochial schools: St. John the Baptist in Kalihi, near her work; St. Elizabeth's, near home; or Cathedral, which got high marks.

"He's Catholic," Dahlin said. "I want him to learn that, too."

If it's October, it must be application season for parents like Dahlin, part of Hawai'i's growing number of folks facing tuition payments. To aid them, Kukui Press has just released "The Parent's Guide to Private Schools in Hawai'i," by Jacqui Pirl.

The book describes 71 private and 10 select public schools, including charter and immersion schools, without ranking them — including admissions policies and costs. It includes strategies to help match a child with the school suiting a family best, including considering the commute, and financial considerations. Some advice: Do your homework on schools, and be sure your child is prepared for required tests or interviews.

Pirl compiled the book from information she gleaned while debating whether to send her three children to private schools. Her oldest is now at University Laboratory School and her middle child is at Mid-Pacific Institute, after attending neighborhood public schools. The youngest still attends public school.

The private-versus-public school debate is a touchy one, even here, notes Pirl, whose pharmacist husband is a Kalani grad. "Not everybody can afford private school and not everyone should send their kids to private school," Pirl said. "I'm not a private-school snob."

But the numbers show Hawai'i residents do send their children to private schools — and at an increasing rate (see box).

With the help of the guide, Dahlin found new tips for the search for schools for Jacob, such as how you can get your child's assessment after he's been accepted or rejected by a school; and insight on the ins and outs of financial aid.

The Dahlins considered just two schools for oldest son Tyler, now 9. With Jacob, that's more than doubled.

Spread out on the table in Dahlin's neat Kunia home at the end of a cul-de-sac is paperwork for University Lab, Friendship Christian in 'Ewa and first choice Kamehameha, for schoolchildren with some Hawaiian ancestry. It's not just Mom's first choice; it's Jacob's, too.

"My uncle goes to that school," Jacob said proudly, his chin jutting out. Then he added that the school is "BIG!"

Indeed, Pirl's book notes that the Kapalama campus is 600 acres — and its combined campuses make it the largest private school in the nation.

"The Parent's Guide to Private Schools in Hawai'i" is the type of book Pirl went looking for when she first started the process with her oldest daughter. She knew there was a lot of misinformation out there.

"One parent swore to me 'Iolani was $35,000 tuition — and this was 10 years ago," said Pirl. "It was completely not true, but I didn't know any differently."

It was frustrating, not finding the answers she wanted in one handy place.

"My head was spinning," she recalled. "Where are all these schools? I moaned about it for two years, then, when my youngest daughter was in kindergarten, I got the message. Hello? Write it!"

So Pirl called for application packets, visited schools, researched historical documents and even applied her own children, who took admissions tests.

"They were good sports. ... My son would ask, 'Is this for real, or can I just write all As?' (for test answers)," she said with a laugh.

It was a good way to get the lowdown for a parent's guide.

"I actually applied them to all kinds of schools — some we were interested in, some not," Pirl said. "... I went to every school, (often I) did it as a mother, because I wanted to see from that perspective. Then I went in to meet the administration."

Sometimes she felt really welcomed, other times — for example, some of the small, church-based schools — were more tight-lipped, she recalled. "I didn't belong to the church, so what was I doing there?"

While Pirl steered clear of any ratings of the schools, she is rather proud of her checklist. That's the part of the guide where parents are asked to consider important factors for their child's education.

"You look at your lifestyle and put your priorities in order," Pirl said. "You make a wish list, pick four or five, then go on from there and look at schools. You might love a school on the North Shore, but can you really get there by 8 a.m. every morning if you're living in Hawai'i Kai?"

The first edition of the guide focuses on O'ahu schools; Pirl hopes to expand to Neighbor Islands in the next edition.

Other wish lists for future editions: College graduation rates per school, especially the exclusive college prep ones ("not acceptances — they're good at getting them accepted"), and standardized tests for other grades besides those taken for admission.

"It's hard to get SSAT scores for private schools," said Pirl. "You take the SSAT to get in, but once you get in, they don't always take them anymore. With that, you could compare them across the board with public schools."