Historical aspects of the transformation of the Mountain school into the Kabardino-Gorsky Emperor Alexander III real school

The article examines in detail the historical and organizational aspects of the transformation of the mountain school into a real school in the Nalchik district of the Tersk region in the late XIX — early XX centuries. The study focuses on the key challenges faced by the educational system of the region, such as the multinational and multi-confessional composition of students, which required the adaptation of curricula and teaching methods to local conditions. The article analyzes the reasons why the opening of the real school in Nalchik took place later than in other regions of the Caucasian Educational District. Special attention was paid to factors such as financial constraints, as well as administrative barriers and the need for coordination with the imperial authorities, which slowed down the transformation process. In addition, organizational decisions of local authorities and the public aimed at meeting the social and economic needs of the region, as well as ensuring high-quality education in conditions of cultural diversity, are being considered. The study highlights the role of public initiative and local communities that actively participated in the transformation process and contributed to the creation of a sustainable educational infrastructure in Nalchik district. The various scientific, regulatory and reporting documents used in the article, as well as archival sources, including previously unpublished materials, allow us to comprehensively consider the process of reforming educational institutions in the region. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the process of integrating national suburbs into the unified educational space of the Russian Empire and provide valuable lessons for modern educational strategies in multinational and culturally diverse regions. Such historical research helps to identify successful practices and mistakes of the past, which can be useful in developing educational programs and policies aimed at improving the quality of education and its accessibility for all segments of the population.