OSTA-AECO also provides professional development for Ontario's student trustees in the form of three annual conferences.

[1] The organization's General Assembly is composed of student trustees representing Public and Catholic school boards across Ontario.

[4] In 1997, the Progressive Conservative government under Premier Mike Harris introduced "The Education Quality Improvement Act" as Bill 160.

The Bill enshrined the position of a "pupil representative" to provide the student perspective on school board governance.

[5] In 2006, the position was formally named "student trustee" under the Liberal government of Premier Dalton McGuinty and the leadership of Education Minister Gerard Kennedy.