DFL gubernatorial candidate Mark Dayton Tuesday blamed Gov. Tim Pawlenty and his administration for Minnesota's failure to become a finalist in the competition for millions in federal Race to the Top money.

He said Pawlenty has wrongly "tried to pin the blame" for the application's failure on Education Minnesota, the state's teachers union. Dayton said only 13 percent of the points that Minnesota lost in its application for the money were due to lack of required union support.

Dayton, who is seeking endorsement from Education Minnesota, said the union's opposition to an alternative teacher licensure system required by the federal government didn't contribute to the state's failure to become a finalist.

He also declined to take a position on pending legislation that would create such a system for mid-career professionals who complete 200 hours of training and other requirements. The union has opposed the legislation, which has the support of some DFL members of the Minnesota House and Senate.

Pawlenty spokesman Brian McClung said, " Important reforms, including alternative teacher licensing and improved teacher preparation, would have improved our application. These and other key reforms have been frequently proposed by Governor Pawlenty but have been stopped by the teachers union and their DFL allies every time."

Dayton said 87 percent of the points lost in the application were unrelated to lack of union support. He cited "failure to close the achievement gap, and absurdly, the failure to follow basic instructions" when the state Department of Education submitted the application

"Gov. Pawlenty has specifically blamed others for his administrations failed application," Dayton said at a Capitol news conference. "The blame belongs primarly on his failed education policy and on his Department of Education's failure to submit a decent application."

Dayton said Pawlenty shouldn't have relied on a consultant to prepare the application for the federal money to "make up for the state Department of Education's inability to do its own work."