No one who has paid attention could be surprised by the recent report that Montgomery County has failed to narrow test score gaps.

The county has spent a lot more time posturing as a national education leader than actually doing things that would make it an education leader, and a lot more time soothing public opinion than improving instruction and ensuring equity.

Part of the reason is complacency. Like many wealthy districts, Montgomery County Public Schools can rely on a large base of parents who pay close attention to whether their children learn to read and do math and who get outside help when their children falter. The wealthier areas of the county are crowded with commercial and private tutors. This makes it difficult to gauge the quality of the instruction in Montgomery County schools.