About SchoolPayPA
Transparency for Pennsylvania Public Schools
What We Do
SchoolPayPA is a public data initiative that simplifies access to compensation and employment data from Pennsylvania’s public schools. By compiling salaries, contracts, benefits, and staffing information into one centralized, searchable platform, we make it easier to explore how schools are funded and staffed across the Commonwealth.
Our initial focus is school compensation, which makes up over 60% of public school spending. Yet this data is often buried in spreadsheets, outdated PDFs, or inconsistent formats. We’re changing that—starting with transparency, simplicity, and accessibility.
Why It Matters
Transparent school finance data empowers teachers to advocate for fairness, helps parents understand resource allocation, and enables policymakers to craft better policy. Public data should be public—not hidden behind technical formats or bureaucracy.
What's In Our Future
School-by-school snapshots with enrollment and performance
Deeper insights into school budgets and staffing trends
Interactive comparisons across districts and charters
Custom dashboards for public analysis
Downloadable Excel/PDF reports
How We Fund the Project
SchoolPayPA is an independent, ad-free project. It isn’t funded by any school, company, or agency—just one person with a passion for public education data. Below is a breakdown of the annual costs to keep the platform running:
Estimated Data Initative Costs
About the Creator
SchoolPayPA was created by Jonathon Shiota, a Pennsylvania-based public school finance professional with deep experience in education operations, transparency advocacy, and data-driven leadership.
As a certified school business official, Jonathon has spent his career working to improve equity, accountability, and access across public education systems. He launched SchoolPayPA as a personal initiative to bridge the gap between public data and public understanding—helping stakeholders navigate how schools are funded, how resources are allocated, and how compensation decisions are made.
This site is not sponsored by any organization, employer, or political group. It is independently maintained and driven by a commitment to make educational data more useful for everyone: teachers, taxpayers, policymakers, and students alike.
© 2025 SchoolPayPA. All Rights Reserved. Schoolpaypa.org is an independent, public-interest project. All data comes from public records and is shared for educational and transparency purposes.
