Thirty-six states, including Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia have indicated interest in applying for the $500 million Race to the Top – Early Learning Challenge, Ed Week’s Politics K-12 blog reports. The Obama administration had asked governors to express their intent by July 15. However, states that indicated their interest could, in the end, decide not to apply, and, conversely, other states could decide to apply after all. Applications are expected to be released later this summer, and grants will be made by December 31, 2011.

These states expressed interest in applying for an Early Learning Challenge grant: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

These states did not express interest in applying: Alaska, California, Florida, Indiana, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Virginia.