This study  continues the project (initiated in 2009), which is devoted to the  genesis of the educational inequality in Russia and to the possibilities of its overcoming.On the basis of the results of the previous research phases on reduction of an educational inequality, devoted to problems and support of  schools working in challenging  social contexts, several important decisions on the national policy level were made in the Russian Federation. These decisions found its reflection   in governmental programs and in the  initiation of the  strategy of “closing the gaps” in educational outcomes of schools and students. In a number of regions local programs and projects supporting  schools working in the most challenging  social context were initiated.

 At pilot schools of three regions under the supervision of team of researchers crisis exit programs and further improvement were developed. In the basis of these programs there is a model of school effectiveness.

          The implementation of programs based on the  world experience of the most successful projects of school improvement and system changes in education. The idea of moving school  leaders teams  and the whole  pedagogical staff of schools in the direction of turning schools into Professional Learning Communities has become the main engine of the new trend.

          On these phase of the research the following research questions seem to be the most acute: what are the effects of the started programs; which strategies turned out to be successful and can be used by other schools which face the same challenging circumstances. The answers to these questions we’ll give a chance to take decisions of putting tested strategies to scale for the system improvement.

The main goals of the research were:

-  analyses of how  school staff changes (involvement and level of interaction);

-  analyses of how  the process of teaching and learning changes;

- analyses of the strategies of looking for new additional resources for reducing lacks of financial, staff, organizational and stimulation resources.

The theoretical framework of the research is the model of school effectiveness (R.Marzano, P.Мortimor), model of Professional Learning Communities, theory of social Capital  (Coleman, J.) and  framework  of Capital Theory of School Effectiveness and Improvement   (D.Hargreaves).

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