Anyone knowledgeable in PI, please expiate.  

Suppose a school conducts an event that they sell tickets to.

The police are called multiple times to the scene on complaints of underage drinking and drug usage.  

There was no control or effort made to deny entry to intoxicated persons.  

An obviously intoxicated attendee of this event deliberately attacks another student physically, burning her with a cup of coffee that is so hot that it causes second and first degree burns.  It is highly likely to produce scarring and there appears to be some nerve damage.  

Aside of moving against the attacker directly, Is there something here with the district?

You should have a strong case against the attacker.   The notion that allowing people to gather for an event means you become culpable for the actions of those that gather is not one that I subscribe to, but I'm sure there are plenty of lawyers that will jump at the chance to extract some taxpayer money from a school district for the deliberate act of a third party.

Suing government entities is a specialized field within Personal Injury, often with very very short statutes of limitation. See someone with experience in government tort.

Good copy on that.  I have a good friend who is an attorney (but does not do PI) finding me somebody without delay.  

I'm wondering if what I am laying out clears the gross negligence/sovereign immunity bar to make it possible.  

This area of the law is 100% state specific and could be completely different state-to-state.  Good advice above.

ETA: that being said, it's usually pretty difficult blaming the premises owner for the commission of a crime by a third party.  And everything is pretty much more difficult when you're talking about a government defendant.