In order to better understand the levers of change necessary to effect large-scale improvements in early educator preparation, we sought to understand the context around (1) the different requirements instituted by states for early educators, (2) the disparate governance and oversight structures in place for educator preparation programs, (3) the varied content, structures, and experiences present in current early childhood degree and credential offerings, and (4) promising strategies that states are implementing for improving early educator preparation. In addition to the 50-state data collected and analyzed for our scan of policies and practices impacting early educator preparation (see: Early Educator Investment Collaborative: 50-State Policy and Practice Research Memo), our team reviewed literature, including work on early childhood teacher preparation published and state teacher preparation systems by partner organizations; analyzed existing data from 13 state Early Childhood Higher Education Inventory studies; and, interviewed experts in the early childhood education and higher education fields to provide an in-depth picture of the current state of early educator preparation. (author abstract)