Natrona County residents want to see the school district change its enrollment policy and offer preference to students to enroll in their neighborhood schools.

A Casper Star-Tribune poll conducted by Mason-Dixon Research and Polling in Washington, D.C. found that 70 percent of people here supported a neighborhood enrollment preference. The poll also found that 50 percent of people polled supported Natrona County School District's "schools of choice" policy.

A total of 400 likely voters were polled, and the poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 5 percent.

Susan Gray has two grandchildren who attend Natrona County schools, and she said she doesn't favor the district's choice policy.

"I'm old school," Gray said. "And I believe kids should go to their neighborhood school. They need to learn how to interact with kids in their neighborhood."

With so many choices in curriculums, the district also needs to make sure every student has the same opportunities for success, Gray said.

"All schools should have the same type of curriculum," she said. "Every child should be given the opportunity to have the same education."

The Natrona County school board has struggled with the issue of neighborhood schools for some time. An enrollment retreat for trustees, which partially focused on whether or not to offer a neighborhood enrollment preference, ended with the decision that everyone needed more information before a decision could be made.

"I think it will always be an issue," said board chairman Shannon Jackett. "The trustees are going to continue to work through this. It might sound easy on a piece of paper, (but) what are the overall ramifications?"

If a neighborhood enrollment preference is offered, there are issues to consider, she added. Natrona County does not have a district-wide curriculum, rather each school has a set of standards they are required to meet. Every school is different.

"If we do give preference to a neighborhood, does that neighborhood like the school that they'd be going to?" Jackett asked. "Are parents going to like that?"

Another issue is how to define neighborhood. The school district transportation department defines a "neighborhood school" as the school closest to a residence.

So what happens when a building has a 320-student capacity, but 500 students call it their neighborhood school, Jackett asked. Some families would have to send their children elsewhere, which was a problem before schools of choice occurred.

"We don't feel like forcing a kid into a particular school, just because another school is full," Jackett said. "At least with open enrollment, parents have a choice which other schools they want to go to."

Jerry Hansen has a child in first grade and another in preschool. He said having a neighborhood preference would be nice, as long as choice was still an option for parents.

It might seem like a conflicting statement, but choice allows parents to select the best school for their family, he added. His family was very satisfied with the enrollment process.

"A parent can find what they agree with most and what fits their individual philosophies, as well as their individual children," Hansen said. "If you can place 99 percent of people, that tells me that something is working."

Reach education reporter Jasa Santos at (307) 266-0593 or at Jasa.Santos@trib.com. Read her blog at my.trib.com/jasasantos