The federal experiment on creating educational districts was started in 2003 by the Government of Russia. The aim of this project is modernization of regional systems of education management on the basis of creating educational districts in subjects.

The primary tasks which are decided within this project:

- increase of efficiency of management of education in regions and efficiency of resources usage;

- orientation of the system of education at local labor markets, including as a result of strengthening of connection of general and professional education;

- increasing quality and availability of education (especially in the country) by optimization of educational network.

From 2003 the experiment was realized on the territory of one region - Samara region. Taking into account the positive results in 2005 the Government of Russia made the decision on prolongation of experiments and expansion of membership of its participants. In 2006-2008 in the experiment 6 regions take place: Astrakhan, Kirov, Samara, Sakhalin, Ulyanovsk regions and Chukotka autonomous district. Besides, a number of the Russian Federation's subjects (for example, Altai region) have started such a transformation themselves, which is the evidence of attractiveness of the idea of educational districts.

The experimental experience of regions has let form three models of educational districts.

1. "Strict state" model provides transfer of most or key functions of municipalities in education management to the state body of education management of the Russian Federation's subject (it is realized in Samara region; it exceeds the bounds of the functioning legislation).

2. "Soft state" model provides "approach" of the state to the objects of management (it is realized in Kirov region).

3. "Inter-municipal contractual" model is based on increasing the role of public-state management and provides unification of resources of several municipalities with participation of the state for solving separate tasks of functioning and modernizing education in these territories (it is realized in Astrakhan and Altai regions).

Other regions, involved to the experiment (Sakhalin, Ulyanovsk regions and Chukotka autonomous district) at present are undergoing the stage of approving normative-legal acts.

In general, introduction of educational districts is possible on different models and not always demands considerable changes in the system of education management. Education management on the basis of educational districts simplifies realization of programs and projects of development of education, harmonizes state and municipal management of territorial systems of education, decreases administrative and transaction expenses, promoting modernization of the system of the Russian education.