CCS Vendor Materials, Public Records, and the Question No One Can Answer

By Ronda Watson Barber –
OhioMBE Publisher

On November 18, I stood before the elected Columbus City Schools Board of Education and raised long-standing concerns about the neglect of the district’s supplier diversity program. I spoke about outdated materials, the lack of meaningful outreach, and the confusion vendors continue to face when trying to do business with the district.

Before that meeting, on November 12, I submitted a public records request for the sign-in sheet and all materials from the district’s recent vendor outreach event. I made that request because, during the event, a vendor sent me a picture of the Board members included in the materials being passed out. That packet — along with the vendor guide — contained outdated and inaccurate information, the same issues I’ve been sounding the alarm about for months.

CCS finally responded to my public records request on November 25. And once again, the materials they provided did not match what vendors actually received at the event. The district sent a corrected version — one that appears to have been updated after the fact.

That leads to an even bigger concern.

I specifically asked for the sign-in sheet. Instead of receiving the original sheet that vendors signed at the door, the district provided a typed list of attendees. No signatures. No handwritten entries. No scanned original.

If the packet was updated after the event…
If the Board member photo in the public records response does not match what was handed out…
Then I must ask publicly:

Is the typed attendance list accurate?
Was this list recreated after the event just like the corrected materials?
Where is the actual sign-in sheet vendors signed that day?

These questions matter — especially when the district continues to insist it is committed to transparency and supplier diversity.

And here is the part that should concern every taxpayer and vendor:

Where is the Outreach Services Office actually located?

The district’s own Guide to Doing Business with Columbus City Schools lists the Outreach Office at:

3700 S. High Street
Columbus, OH 43207

If that address is wrong or outdated, vendors deserve to know.
If it’s correct, then why does the district keep circulating inconsistent information?

These discrepancies shine a light on a deeper, more troubling issue:

Highly paid administrators are failing to complete basic, fundamental tasks — like maintaining accurate vendor documents, conducting proper outreach, and preserving original public records.

Yet CCS is preparing to cut bussing for high school students, reduce teachers, and eliminate direct services that impact children every day. How do you justify cuts to the classroom while administrative work that directly affects equity, procurement, and accountability is being neglected?

Our business community deserves transparency.
Vendors deserve accuracy.
Students and taxpayers deserve responsible leadership.

It’s time for Columbus City Schools to correct these inconsistencies, maintain accurate public records, and operate a supplier diversity program that reflects competence — not confusion.

And honestly — I wonder what excuses will be made next to cover up this level of incompetence.

just my thoughts…rwb