A majority of the candidates running for five seats on the Lawrence school board believe the district will need to make a large investment in improving Lawrence High School and build either a new elementary or middle school within the next 10 years.

Two other candidates, Ronald “G.R.” Gordon-Ross and incumbent Rick Ingram, said the district may need a brand new high school built in that period. However, Ingram said that would be unaffordable since there would be no way to pay for an entirely new staff.

“Thanks, Topeka,” Ingram said.

All nine candidates appeared in front of about 30 people at the district’s headquarters Thursday to participate in a forum organized by the Voter Education Coalition and 6News, who recorded the event and will broadcast it online and on TV.

The general election is April 7.

When asked whether a new high school would be needed in 10 years, six candidates — Jessica Beeson, Lindsey Frye, Jill Fincher and incumbents Shannon Kimball, Marcel Harmon and Bob Byers — answered in part by saying a new middle or elementary school would be needed instead, specifically on the west side of town. Mary Loveland also doubted a new high school would be needed.

Kimball said the upcoming College and Career Center, which will bus students in for technical education classes, will take pressure off both high schools. Several candidates said a “master plan” for improvements at LHS is a growing necessity as well.

Lawrence High, which opened in 1954, is pegged to receive $4.1 million in general maintenance costs through 2018, by far the most among the district’s 20 buildings.

“We are aware of conditions that really need to be taken care of,” Byers said. “It’s one of our oldest facilities.”

Over the course of the hourlong program, the candidates were asked a range of questions. Among the responses for candidates going after the four four-year terms:

• Beeson said that in the face of looming cuts from the state, the district needs to “definitely be protective” of investing in early education in the interest of closing achievement gaps. “I do think that sometimes the vulnerable populations are the ones that get hurt the most when the district is faced with cuts,” she said.

• Byers said “tension” is created when the district allows students to bring their own mobile devices to school for work that is centered around that kind of technology, because not all families have those devices or an Internet connection at home. “There is a tension in that that we need to figure out,” he said.

• Fincher said the district can close achievement gaps through existing programs like AVID, which teaches study tactics to students with average or below-average grades. It recently expanded to all middle schools and “given a couple years” could close the gap, she said.

• Frye said hiring more teachers of color would also help close achievement gaps.

• Gordon-Ross said the district should create more mentorship programs where students are paired with community leaders, like one seen at Free State High School. “I think we can reach those kids at a younger age,” he said.

• Ingram said the district does a “terrific” job accommodating English-as-a-second-language students, but it will be harder to do so in a new funding system proposed by the state. “It’s going to be up to us to continue that excellent education, and I believe we can,” he said.

• Kimball said students in the district “have mental health needs that are unmet.” She said working with Douglas County and Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center will be vital in providing those services.

Among the responses for the candidates running for the lone two-year term:

• Harmon also stressed an importance to ensure mental health services are available to students and that the board should expand them when possible.

• Loveland said that although resources may become “strained” for English-as-a-second-language students, “needs will be met.”