Data from the National Household Education Survey (NHES, 1995) were analyzed to compare parents' and students' variation in their perceptions of various variables predicting school violence: incidences of being attacked while in school, availability of substances of abuse (drugs, alcohol, marijuana and cigarettes), and actual use of these substances while in school (getting high). Results indicate that while there is variation in perceptions of variables not under the parents' or schools' control (such as assignment of schools, student friends' aspirations) as good predictors of school violence, both parents and students see some practices and policies as also significantly associated with school violence. Specifically, aversive school climates, ineffective proactive school safety actions in response to school violence, poor enriching environments and less parental involvement are perceived by parents as accounting for most of the variance in school violence and, therefore, parental dissatisfaction with these type of schools. Students on the other hand, see predictor variables such as getting high and easy availabilty of substances of abuse as more of a problem than actual incidences of being attacked. Incidentally, enriching environments such as positive school experience, parental involvement and a child's friends' high aspirations are deterrents of school violence. Implications for school and parental practices and suggestions for future research are discussed. (Contains 50 references.) (Author)