R.I. Gen. Laws § 16-38-5.1: Assignment of identification numbers to students.

(a) Effective July 1, 2007, no public educational institution, including, but not limited to, the department of elementary and secondary education and the office of higher education, shall assign an individual identification number to a student which is identical to or incorporates the individual’s social security number.

(b) No public educational institution shall allow the public display of a student’s social security number, or any four (4) or more consecutive numbers contained in the individual’s social security number for any purpose.

(c) In any civil action alleging a violation of this section, the court may award damages, reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs to a prevailing plaintiff, and afford injunctive relief against any institution which violates or proposes to violate this section.

(d) Nothing contained in this section shall prohibit an educational institution’s use of a student’s social security number when required by law.