The article studies the role of inspectors in shaping and developing primary schools in the Tersk region during the second half of the 19th century. Inspectors' activities are discussed in the context of the development of the primary school administration system, since inspectors were assigned the role of a liaison between the central government and society. Their influence on organizing the educational process and implementing new educational programs receives primary attention. The interaction of inspectors with local authorities, educational institutions, and society is analyzed. The causes of their conflicts are identified, the directions of their constructive interaction and con-tribution to the preservation of ethnocultural heritage are considered. The novelty of the article lies in the study of the influence of inspectors on the development of ethnocultural education and the preservation of ethnic history. This approach allows us to assess their contribution to the for-mation of ethnocultural educational policy in multinational regions of Russia. In the study of this area of their activities, archival material was used, including previously unpublished. Carrying out the research involved the use of several scientific methods—historical-analytical, comparative, contextual, and interpretive—which enabled a comprehensive study of inspectors’ activities and their contribution to the development of primary schools in Russia.