Early Childhood Researcher, SRI Education
Cornelia Taylor, PhD, brings expertise in assessment, including item-response theory and classical test theory. She is an experienced provider of technical assistance, working with numerous states on interpreting and using early childhood data. She also supports states in state accountability progress reporting data on outcomes and other indicators.
At SRI, Taylor co-leads the DaSy project, funded by U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), which focuses on building the capacity of all states and territories to use data to improve programs and ultimately outcomes for young children with disabilities and their families. She also serves as the child outcomes lead for the Early Childhood Technical Assistance Project, the secondary analysis lead for the Child Find Access project, and the survey design co-lead for the Study of Disability Services Coordinators and Inclusion in Head Start.
Previously at SRI, Taylor led extant data collection for a U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences-funded project examining the validity of the child outcomes summary process. She also led the collaborative data collection for OSEP-funded model demonstration projects focused on providing assistive technology to young children with disabilities. Additionally, Taylor has provided technical assistance to states through the IDEA Data Center and the National Center for Systemic Improvement.
Taylor has led and supported several other research projects at SRI, including the Connecticut Standards Alignment project and the Texas Early Intervention Service Intensity study. She recently supported the Nevada Department of Education with the alignment of its early childhood learning standards. She has also taught classes at San Francisco State University on educating young children with and without disabilities.
Before coming to SRI, Taylor worked as a data manager for California’s Desired Results Access Project, focused on a statewide assessment development and implementation. Through that work, she conducted analysis for quality assurance and program improvement and shared results with the state of California and interested local programs.
Key projects
- The Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems (DaSy)
- The Early Childhood Technical Assistance Project
- The Child Find ACCESS project
- The Study of Disability Services Coordinators and Inclusion in Head Start
- Model Demonstration Coordination Center (MDCC)
Selected Publications
- Early Childhood Technical Assistance Center & Center for IDEA Early Childhood Data Systems. (2021). IDEA Child Outcomes Highlights for FFY2019. Retrieved from http://ectacenter.org/eco/pages/childoutcomeshighlights.asp
- The DaSy Center & the ECTA Center. (2019). Guidance for Calculating the Number, Percentage of Infants and Toddlers who Received Early Intervention Services for at Least Six Months. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
- Taylor, C., & Tunzi, D. (2018). Data patterns for COS ratings: What to expect and what to question. Menlo Park, CA: SRI International.
Recent publications
more +
Share this



