The Triangle has been shut out on the latest round of charter school openings.

None of the four local applicants made the list of six finalists who will be interviewed by the State Board of Education. Click here for a post detailing the local folks.

The six finalists are McKinnney Academy and Mountain Island Charter School in Mecklenburg County, New Bern International Academy in Craven County,Bear Grass Charter in Martin County, Lake Lure Classical Academy in Rutherford County and Henderson Collegiate in Vance County.

Click here for thumbnail info on all 18 applicants. Henderson Collegiate is interesting as it's basically a clone of the KIPP model of longer school days and greater parental involvement.

We've got four local groups in the running for the state's three open charter school slots.

As noted in today's article, members of a State Board of Education committee are supposed to turn in by today their rankings of the 18 applicants. From that list, six will be chosen for the next round of consideration.

If Horizon Academy's application is approved, Sonya Bellson, a school founder, thinks they should easily attract applicants. Even though they plan to be in Louisburg in Franklin County, they'd expect to get interest from northern Wake families.