The number of students enrolled in Hawaii private schools declined for the fourth year in a row, to 37,695 students in the current school year, a new report shows. That’s a 6 percent decline from the 2007-08 school year.

The latest figures from the Hawaii Association of Independent Schools’ annual enrollment report comes as many campuses are struggling to hold down tuition costs and boost scholarship opportunities to maintain enrollment numbers.

According to the report, private schools taking the biggest hits in enrollment this year are mostly smaller campuses, which are less able to offer financial aid and rely heavily on tuition to operate. Larger schools are able to turn to endowments during tough economic times.

At St. John the Baptist School in Kalihi, enrollment declined by 55 students this school year, to 168, its lowest level since 2002. The school has students in preschool through eighth grade.

Francine Fontanilla, admissions director at the school, said the continued economic downturn is to blame for the enrollment decline.

Paying the tuition was too hard for parents, said Fontanilla, adding some of them had fallen behind in payments. Tuition at the school ($4,750) is at the lower range for private schools.

Hanalani Schools in Mililani saw enrollment decline to 710 students in preschool through 12th grade, from 770 last school year.

Admissions Director Nancy Cowley said students left after their parents lost jobs, moved to the mainland for work "or just couldn’t afford" the tuition anymore. High school tuition at Hanalani Schools is $9,175 this school year, from $8,600 in the 2010-11 school year.

Cowley said the school has a financial aid program, but assistance is capped at half of tuition. The school has seen a "considerable increase" in the number of families seeking aid, she said.

The enrollment news wasn’t all bad, though.

Several schools saw their enrollment increase thanks to new offerings or generous scholarship programs. St. Francis School in Manoa gained more than 50 students this school year, bringing enrollment to 495, the highest in the school’s 87-year history.

Sister Joan of Arc Souza, head of school, said the increase could be due to a solid curriculum, a reputation for sending kids to good colleges or addition of an athletic program.

It could also be due to word of mouth, she said.

"Happy kids tell their friends to come," she said.

The school’s tuition is $9,400 this year; it was $9,000 last year.

Overall, Hawaii private schools lost 460 students this school year, a 1.2 percent decline from the year before, according to the report.

The bulk of that decrease was on Oahu, where overall enrollment dropped by 318 students (or 1.1 percent) to 29,497. Neighbor island schools saw enrollment decline by 123 students, or 1.6 percent.

Twenty-nine of the 79 private schools on Oahu reported enrollment declines, with nine seeing their enrollment dropping by more than 10 percent. Four schools saw student populations decline by more than a fifth, HAIS said.

On the neighbor islands, 13 of 44 schools saw enrollment drop.