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Abstract

Goals of the International program on learning outcomes assessment � Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) � are discussed,
 outcomes of PISA-2012 are provided, which reveals that Russian school students are behind their European peers in the skill to put the acquired knowledge
 into practice. As is expected, implementation of the Russian Federation Government Program on �The Advancement of Education� for 2013�2020
 would improve performance indicators of the RF school-level students regarding the results of further international comparative studies of basic education
 quality. To achieve the said goal transferring commonly recognized European education values and goals to the realities of this country could be of
 considerable use. Regulatory documents of the European Union on school education are analyzed and translated in Russian; priority tasks of European
 states in the area of school-level education improvement are outlined as aimed at developing core competencies of school-level students. Eight core
 competences as identified by the EU educational authorities are mentioned. To improve the RF school-level students core competences it is necessary to
 re-arrange educational processes in such a way, that active personal communications come to play the crucial part. Importance of competency-building
 approach in school education is outlined.