New York has applied for up to $100 million in early-childhood-education funds as part of a competition that requires the state to measure the skills of all entering kindergartners by 2014.

Included are proposals to rate learning programs for kids younger than 5.

Thirty-five states, Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico applied to share $500 million from the Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge, according to the US Department of Education.

The state landed nearly $700 million last year from Race to the Top.