Noting that little is known about how the social environment affects academic achievement among groups of students, this study examined the associations among substance use, violent/delinquent behavior, and academic achievement in groups of middle and high school students. Data sources for middle school students were the 1998 Washington State Survey of Adolescent Health Behaviors (WSSAHB) and the 1999 Washington Assessment of Student Learning; data sources for high school students included the WSSAHB and eleventh graders' averages on the Iowa Test of Basic Skills. Groups were defined by grade level, gender, and race/ethnicity. In order to more fully understand the dynamics linking risky non-classroom behavior to school performance, the study also examined the effects of poverty, attitudes, neighborhood characteristics, and social skills. Findings indicated that groups of middle and high school students with even moderate involvement with substance use and violence/delinquency had poorer overall achievement than groups of students with little or no involvement in these behaviors. For middle school students, behavior and attitudes about harmful behaviors were tightly linked (correlation =.96). High school students' attitudes and behaviors were closely related but not identical. Substance use was closely related to violence/delinquency. Poverty influenced student behavior, attitudes, and academic achievement. School resources did not predict substance use, violence/delinquency, or test scores. Risk and protective factors influenced substance use and violence/delinquency for both middle and high school students. Between 20 and 40 percent of Washington state middle and high school students reported the kinds of attitudes and behavior linked to impaired school performance. Numerous policy implications follow from the findings. Appended is a list of questions from the surveys used. (Contains 82 references.) (KB)