The Center for the Study of Child Care Employment led the development of three research reports that provide a nationwide analysis of trends, gaps, and opportunities facing early educator preparation programs and state competency and compensation policies. While the research was conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic, the crisis has only made the situation worse, with many states unsure about how to rebuild the early childhood workforce lost to the effects of the pandemic. COVID-19 has laid bare the consequences of a patchwork professional development and compensation system that isn't meeting the needs of our country's children, families, employers, or educators. The collective findings of these three reports demonstrate that a comprehensive national strategy is critical to driving states' policy efforts and investments. This report, "50-State Early Educator Policy and Practice Research. 2020 Report," is a comprehensive exploration of multiple areas and challenges the field faces to determine why states struggle to make progress for the early educator workforce, where progress should be made, and what barriers need to be overcome. [For "Early Educator Preparation Landscape. 2020 Report," see ED614020. For "Early Educator Preparation and Compensation Policies: Voices from 10 States. 2020 Report," see ED614021.]