Globe: MCAS science results mixed

The following appeared in today's Boston Globe (link below):

By James Vaznis, Globe Staff | October 18, 2007

School administrators in Southeastern Massachusetts say they need to bolster scores on the state's new high school science exam, even though the majority of the region's public school districts outperformed the state average in the scores released this week.

http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2007/10/18/mcas_science_results_mixed/

Included is a chart of MCAS science pass rates:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/10/18/mcas_south/

For consideration of the impact of per pupil costs, the DOE has provided an analysis:
http://finance1.doe.mass.edu/schfin/statistics/function06_detail.aspx?ID=266


TOWN PER PUPIL COST
ABINGTON 8842.27
ACTON 8997.1
ACUSHNET 8787.54
ATTLEBORO 9898.96
BELCHERTOWN 8791.38
BERKLEY 7747.83
BOXFORD 9382.75
BRAINTREE 9728.79
CARVER 9918.93
CHELMSFORD 9116.94
DANVERS 9862.75
DARTMOUTH 8951.92
DOUGLAS 7732.25
DRACUT 8147.6
DUXBURY 9307.48
EAST BRIDGEWATER 8070.42
EAST LONGMEADOW 9216.1
EASTON 8361.95
FAIRHAVEN 9222.5
FOXBOROUGH 9569.82
FRANKLIN 9230.45
FREETOWN 9957.64
GARDNER 8711.59
GRAFTON 8421.81
HALIFAX 8548.33
HANOVER 9125.09
HATFIELD 9276.29
HINGHAM 9291.68
HOLBROOK 9477.59
HOPEDALE 8665.07
KINGSTON 8826.16
LAKEVILLE 7760.32
LEOMINSTER 9858.35
LONGMEADOW 9968.21
LUDLOW 9485.67
LUNENBURG 9106.29
MANSFIELD 8458.27
MARSHFIELD 9499.55
MEDFIELD 8596.68
MEDWAY 9008.71
MELROSE 9571.25
METHUEN 9490.21
MIDDLEBOROUGH 9937.82
MILFORD 9970.38
MILLBURY 9830.09
MILLIS 8660.11
MONSON 8453.57
NAHANT 9379.5
NORTH ANDOVER 9152.57
NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH 9106.28
NORTHBOROUGH 9930.66
NORTHBRIDGE 9613.86
NORTH READING 8428.99
NORTON 9715.78
NORWELL 9386.73
OXFORD 8882.14
PEMBROKE 8439.72
PETERSHAM 9104.81
PLAINVILLE 9131.82
PLYMPTON 8937.36
ROCHESTER 9376.07
ROCKLAND 9221.13
SANDWICH 8908.83
SCITUATE 9233.61
SEEKONK 9316.3
SHIRLEY 9905.98
SHREWSBURY 8847.5
SOUTHAMPTON 8986.23
STONEHAM 9359.36
STOUGHTON 9830.19
SUDBURY 9851.46
TAUNTON 9819.39
TEWKSBURY 8607.98
UXBRIDGE 9395.41
WAREHAM 9667.51
WEST BOYLSTON 9731.07
WEST BRIDGEWATER 9716.16
WESTFORD 8923.1
WESTHAMPTON 9340.22
WESTPORT 9187.1
WILMINGTON 9593
WRENTHAM 8795.58
BRIDGEWATER RAYNHAM 8860.39
DIGHTON REHOBOTH 8835.67
FREETOWN LAKEVILLE 9502.69

Can we say that this is strictly a money issue? Why are Towns that are paying less per pupil doing better than Middleboro?