To ask the Minister of Education for an update on (i) the action contained within his TransformED Delivery plan to roll out the RAISE Programme in localities across Northern Ireland to invest in, monitor and evaluate whole community and place-based approaches to raise achievement and reduce educational disadvantage; and (ii) any cost incurred as a result of this action.

The RAISE Programme is present in 18 localities across Northern Ireland and consists of two key elements, Locality Led Projects and Cross-cutting Initiatives.

Following the first call for Locality Led Projects, 65 projects are advancing with project delivery. A second call for Locality Led Projects closed in April and a further 42 projects have been successful and are aiming to begin delivery from September 2026 onwards, depending on agreeing Letters of Offer.

The Department issued a separate call for proposals to deliver Home School Community Connection projects that closed in April. These projects are aimed at enhancing links between home, school and the community in the RAISE localities that prioritised these objectives in their Strategic Area Plans. Successful projects will aim to begin delivery from September 2026 onwards.

A series of Cross-cutting Initiatives that complement Locality Led Projects and provide additional opportunities to tackle key common issues are also being progressed. These will span RAISE localities and beyond and are at different stages of development. Those currently in the delivery phase are:

The Reading with AI Research Project – A total of 114 schools have participated, involving 469 classes and 8,426 pupils, in Years 3, 5, 7, and 8. A research report detailing impact is currently in the works.

The Holiday Revision Support Programme - 60 schools provided revision support during the Halloween 2025 holidays, and over 100 schools provided support over the Easter 2026 holidays. The programme has been renewed for the 2026/27 academic year and expressions of interest have been collected from schools.

The Online Science of Learning Programme – 200 schools and 800 teachers registered to the Classroom Excellence Programme.

Scoil Spreagtha - Officially relaunched on 26 January and currently reaching 104 schools, 931 teachers and more than 20,000 pupils.

Collaborative Professional Learning Clusters - Applications from all eligible schools have been received and will be assessed.

RAISE Active Schools Programme - The multisport programme for primary schools has launched, the 96 primary schools participating in the project were notified on 9 June 2026.

Alternative Education Models Pilot - Queen’s University, Belfast, has been appointed to take forward the research element of this Cross-cutting Initiative and work is now underway. The two small-scale pilots to test potential approaches are being developed.

The remaining Cross-cutting Initiatives are in development and will be delivered during the 2026/27 academic year.

The National Children’s Bureau in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast have been appointed as the RAISE Programme’s Independent Evaluator to examine if the Programme is making a positive impact for children and young people.

€20m (Circa £16.7m) has been secured from the Shared Island Fund for the RAISE Programme. This will enable the Department to deliver the Programme and the projects and initiatives flowing from it through until 31 August 2027. There is a potential for a further two years of funding, but this is dependent on positive evaluation of the first two years of the Programme.