In August 2003, our high school opened under the name Independence Charter High School. The school was founded by the same group of passionate parents who started Independence Charter Middle School in 1998. Originally located in the historic former Harding High School building, our school changed its name to Harding Charter Preparatory High School to honor the original 1958-68 classes of Harding High School. Harding Charter Preparatory High School moved to its current location in the fall of 2019 and continues to provide an open-access college-preparatory curriculum to all students.  

Our mission is to provide each student with an academically challenging and equitable educational experience through an Advanced Placement curriculum, which will prepare all graduates for success at a four-year university.   

• All students take pre-AP and AP courses  
• 59% of students receive college credit before graduation in 2023
• Small school environment with student-teacher ratio of 18:1  
• After-school tutoring offered 3 times a week 
• State and nationally recognized Fine Arts programs  
• More athletic programs than any other Oklahoma charter school  
• Rated "Best Teachers in Oklahoma" in 2022 by Niche  
• Rated #1 Oklahoma Most Challenging High School in 2024 by Washington Post   
• FREE to attend and OPEN to all!   

Joe Hughes began his educational career at Harding Charter Preparatory High School in 2010 as the 9th and 10th grade guidance counselor. Hughes spent five years as the guidance counselor before accepting the role of assistant principal at Harding Charter Preparatory High School in 2015. For the next six years, Hughes served as the assistant principal for 9th and 10th grade as well as athletic director for the school. Since 2022, he has served as principal of Harding Charter Preparatory High School.