Group various children, approximate age 11, boys and girls, with backpacks & a thumbs up, smiling

What is the 504 Project?

The 504 Project is a unique and distinctive 501(c)(3) organization which focuses on the educational needs of all exceptional students (pre) Kindergarten through transition in Colorado. Exceptional students include those on an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), a 504 Plan, who are twice exceptional (2E), need accommodations, and those students who are in the process of seeking an evaluation to determine needed educational supports.

Our mission is to break barriers and to challenge and change policies and practices which limit or deny services or infringe upon students’ rights to a free and appropriate education. In doing so, our vision is that all students have individualized plans, and all services are administered to fidelity in a safe and nurturing environment. Further, those plans should be reviewed frequently and adjusted when and as needed to ensure we are building the best future possible for our students!

We would be remiss if we did not state, children are NOT little adults. They have unique needs, ideas, thoughts, wants, values, and minds. They typically spend six to eight hours a day in the educational setting, which may or may not include time on a bus and before or after school care. For most children, school is where they develop social skills, boundaries, creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving abilities. While most children have moments of dysregulation, our students often face daily challenges navigating their world.

As part of our overarching philosophy, we believe you cannot separate the mind, body and spirit. If you are also unwell physically/emotionally, you will likely not succeed educationally. It is our goal to support and follow medical and behavioral health policies which may concurrently interact with or be implemented within the educational settings, thus ensuring no unintended consequences occur for our students.

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"Students with disabilities made up 80.2 percent of students subjected to physical restraint and 77.3 percent of students subjected to seclusion, despite making up only 13.2 percent of total students enrolled in public schools....."

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Board of Trustees vs. Board of Directors

The roles of the board of trustees vs. board of directors are similar, making it common for people to use the terms interchangeably. While both positions have a strong role in governance, distinct differences set them apart.

The difference between the board of directors and the board of trustees are as follows:

A board of trustees presides over a private business, nonprofit organization or charitable foundation, whereas a board of directors may preside over a public corporation, private business or nonprofit.
A board of trustees serves as a volunteer, whereas a board of directors may be paid if they serve on a corporate board.
A board of trustees primarily operates in an advisory capacity leaving decision-making to the senior leadership, whereas a board of directors is responsible for decision-making.
A board of trustees engages with donors and members of the public, whereas a board of directors for a corporation or nonprofit represents the interests of investors and stakeholders.
A board of trustees does not have a financial interest in the organization they serve, whereas a board of directors may own stock in a company that is not a nonprofit.
A board of trustees advises senior leadership on financial matters. Yet, their primary role is upholding the mission and overseeing assets, whereas a board of directors oversees an organization’s financial decisions and aims to maximize profits.

These groups can share similar primary duties, but a key distinction is the level of participation within the organization or company they serve. Professionals who work on a board of trustees are advisers. This means they may be more distant from the organization's daily operations.