This bill establishes the Comprehensive School-Based Violence Prevention Grant Program within the New Jersey Department of Education, aimed at assisting eligible school districts located in municipalities with high crime rates to develop and implement violence prevention programs. The program is designed to support students at the highest risk of involvement in gun violence by providing grants to these districts in collaboration with various partnering organizations, including schools, mental health professionals, and community leaders. The bill outlines specific criteria for eligible school districts, which include experiencing a certain number of homicides or having a juvenile arrest rate for violent crime that exceeds national averages.

To apply for the grant, school districts must submit detailed applications that identify the at-risk youth populations they intend to serve, the partnering organizations involved, and the strategies they will employ to promote community engagement, healing from trauma, and safer environments. Additionally, districts that receive funding must report on their use of grant funds, and the Commissioner of Education is required to provide biannual reports to the Governor and Legislature on the program's implementation and effectiveness. The bill appropriates $1 million from the General Fund to support the grant program.