What are the rules for collecting, using, disclosing and requiring the production of Ontario Education Numbers?

The Ontario Education Number (OEN) is a unique identification number assigned to each student or potential student of prescribed institutions, including school boards, schools under the jurisdiction of a school board or the Ministry of Education,  and all private schools in Ontario. In some cases, this also includes First Nation education authorities.¹⁸

Institutions that are prescribed under the Education Act are permitted to collect – directly or indirectly – and use and disclose personal information for the purposes of assigning an OEN to a student.¹⁹ A student’s OEN will follow the student through their elementary and secondary (and, in some cases, post-secondary) education. OENs may be collected, used, disclosed or produced for purposes of:

• providing educational services
• education administration, funding, planning or research
• providing financial assistance to students²⁰

Prescribed institutions are required to use an individual’s OEN in:

• records compiled and maintained in accordance with the Education Act
• applications for enrolment in an educational program
• student assessments, tests and evaluations²¹

No one is permitted to use, disclose or require the production of another person’s OEN, except as provided by the Education Act,²² and to do so is an offence under that act.²³