Since 2016, the biennial Early Childhood Workforce Index has tracked the status of the early care and education workforce and related state policies in order to identify promising practices for improving early educator jobs and changes over time. This third edition includes new analyses as well as updated policy indicators and recommendations. Highlights include: - A comparison of child care worker wages and a living wage in every state; - A comparison of pay and poverty rates between early educators with bachelor’s degrees and K-8 teachers; - Spotlights on state responses to the COVID-19 pandemic; - Detailed tables on state workforce policies and initiatives, especially for Qualifications & Educational Supports, Compensation & Financial Relief, and Workforce Data; and - Data on the U.S. territories. (author abstract)