In the Soviet time, education was highly centralized, and indoctrination in Marxist-Leninist theory was a major element of every school's curriculum. The schools' additional ideological function left a legacy in the post-Soviet system that has proved difficult for educators to overcome. In the 1990s, reform programs are aimed at overhauling the Soviet-era pedagogical philosophy and substantially revising curricula. Insufficient funding has frustrated attainment of these goals, and the teaching profession has lost talented individuals because of low pay.

Education in Russia advanced remarkablely during the Soviet time. In 1918 the Soviet government instituted free, compulsory schooling, which enabled most Russians to obtain a good basic education. As a result, Russia has an extremely high literacy rate. More than 99 % of the population over age 15 is literate. Soviet government developed a smaller number of very large facilities, which are insufficient to meet Russia’s education needs. Because of a deficiency of space, students must attend schools in shifts in almost one-third of Russia's schools. The physical condition of the buildings, which was poor during the late Soviet time, has deteriorated further since 1991. Many schools deficiency heating, plumbing, and other basic necessities. Disparities in conditions have widened since 1991, as schools have become increasingly reliant on local support from public and private sponsors. Many schools have specialized, either to attract sponsors or to meet the needs of current sponsors, and reformers have sought to refocus the curriculum around the needs of students.