FOXBORO - Beating the state average on MCAS scores is an inadequate measure of academic achievement in town, school officials say.

During a review of the scores this week, school committee member Larry Harrington said taxpayers would get a better idea of the return on their investment in education if the district compared Foxboro's scores to the results in similar communities.

Harrington said the Department of Education, in reporting MCAS scores, shows how the district stacks up against a state average that includes urban systems, including Brockton and Boston.

In all subjects and grades tested, a smaller percentage of Foxboro students failed, compared with the state average.

English language arts scores in grade 10 are strong and reflected a "significant reduction in failures," Assistant Superintendent Debra Spinelli said during an overview of the local MCAS results. Individual MCAS scores were mailed home to families last week.

Among the overview points Spinelli noted in a year-to-year comparison:

English language arts scores in grades 3-6 do not show significant improvement.

English language arts scores in grades 7-8 are fairly strong and consistent over time.

Mathematics scores in grades 3-5 are fairly flat.

Mathematics scores for grade 8, while not as strong as grades 6 and 7, have been fairly consistent.

Mathematics scores for grade 10 show a strong, positive trend over the past several years.

Science (Biology) scores for grades 9-10 showed significant gains from last year, with a corresponding decrease in failures.