The Panther Valley School District finally saw fair funding money coming into its coffers in 2024 — a decade after filing suit with five other districts over the state school funding system.

A judge ruled in favor of the school districts in February 2023, saying the state’s system was unconstitutional and disadvantaged poorer school districts.

But more than a year passed before state lawmakers came up with a plan to address financial deficiencies and put it into action in its latest budget cycle.

The district received more than $1.7 million in the form of an adequacy supplement, which represents the first installment of money stemming from the fair funding lawsuit.

Panther Valley hopes to see the supplemental funding designed to address the funding gap continue for the next seven to nine years, its business manager, Jesse Walck said.

Walck presented the Panther Valley School Board with a budget that included an additional $3.37 million in funding in August, which also included tax equity funds as well as increases basic and special education funding, hold harmless relief and cyber charter reimbursement.

At the time, the district planned to use the adequacy funding for full-day kindergarten, additional business teachers, career readiness and technical education, and a teacher targeted for support for English language learners.

In late December, Walck said the district began adding teaching and support positions in special education and learning expenses in STEM.

The district has been struggling with a growing enrollment and lack of additional classroom space, which hampers its ability to add teachers with no place to put them or students.

The adequacy funding can’t be put toward a new school, Walck had said.

A feasibility study in January recommended the district build a new elementary school, but the school board has been committed to not raising taxes to fund a new building.

The district plans to use some $247,990 in tax equity funding from the state to mitigate any potential tax increase in the next budget, Walck said.