Schools are putting children at risk of identity fraud by obtaining their Social Security numbers.

Schools are putting children at risk of identity fraud by obtaining their Social Security numbers when it is not required by law and often unnecessary, the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General has concluded.
Some school systems in at least 26 states collect the nine-digit identifiers when students from kindergarten through high school register for classes, even though the respective state does not require it as a matter of law, according to a report released last week.
Seven states require school systems to collect Social Security numbers as their primary means to track and identify students, though other methods would be as efficient, investigators said.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jul/25/schools-risk-theft-of-ss-numbers-of-children/
U.S. Government Audit report:
http://www.ssa.gov/oig/ADOBEPDF/A-08-10-11057.pdf