Introduction. The article presents the implemented experience in managing the rural municipal network of ethno-cultural education in the Askiz district of the Republic of Khakassia under the guidance of the famous teacher N. G. Cheltygmasheva in the period of the transition to the new Federal State Educational Standard for General Education in 2010-2016. The relevance of the consideration of this topic is due to the need to generalize and transfer the existing positive experience of managing innovation processes in rural national schools. The purpose of the article is to inform about the positive management experience of the rural municipal ethno-cultural educational network in the Republic of Khakassia in the context of restructuring and transition to Federal State Educational Standards. Research methodology and methods. The study of innovative management practices, included observation, retrospective analysis, theoretical generalization and systematization of practical experience. The methodological position of the author in relation to ethno-cultural (national) education, a program-oriented approach in managing and modeling the development of rural schools as an important socio-cultural center in rural areas, as a source of innovative development with a focus on quality education is revealed. The results of the study and their discussion show ways to solve the problems of the ethno-cultural content of education, the achievements of students and teachers who motivate children to scientific research activities. One of the significant conditions for the functioning of a national (with an ethno-cultural component) school is the creation of a living cultural and linguistic environment with a native (Khakass) language functioning in teaching and communication. Modeling the development of rural schools in close relationship with the family and taking into account the possibilities of the socio-cultural environment is considered as one of the optimal ways to preserve a small school. In conclusion, the problem of the long-term development of the Khakass language is outlined in connection with the insufficient readiness of young people to work as a teacher of their native language in the modern digital educational environment.