Results found evidence for an association between objective and perceived risk of discipline in models that examine the covariation of these two constructs at several cross sections, and in models of change in perceptions as a function of change in school sanctioning climate. These associations were strongest in small and less disordered schools. The strictness of the prevailing sanctioning regime was associated with an individual's perception of the strictness of the regime. Both authorized and enforced sanctions were jointly associated with students' perceptions of the strictness of rules in their school. Additionally, a student's personal sanctioning experiences were also correlated with their assessment of rule strictness. Not only was there a sanctions-perceptions correlation at the two cross sections, individual perceptions were also responsive to a change in the strictness of the sanctioning regime. In a change model, an increase in both authorized and enforced sanctions was associated with an increase in the perceived strictness of discipline. Data were collected from 10,737 eighth grade students attending public and private schools in 1988 using the National Education Longitudinal Study (NELS). The analyses included two waves of data beginning in 1988 when the students were in the 8th grade, and 2 years later when they were in the 10th grade. Tables, figures, appendix, and references