Tom Angelis, a Davidsonville resident and Republican candidate for Anne Arundel County executive, discussed his education platform at a press briefing yesterday.

Angelis, who faces Phillip D. Bissett, a former state delegate and Mayo resident, in the Sept. 10 GOP primary, said he would create three positions within county government to improve communication between elected officials and the school board.

He said that more open discussions regarding classroom needs and budget constraints could keep county officials and the school board from feuding over expenditures. He said he would hold the school system accountable for any cost overruns.

"You can't do what [Anne Arundel County Executive] Janet Owens has done and just say, 'Spend it wisely,'" he said. Owens, of Millersville, is unopposed in the Democratic primary. She recently won the endorsement of the county teachers union and has promoted her ability to raise money for school repairs and teacher pay raises.

Angelis said he would work with local businesses to set up internships and scholarships for county students. He said he was shocked to learn recently that one-third of students in the county do not graduate from high school.

"These are real people," said Angelis, who has been a teacher for two years and is pursuing a master's degree in education at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. "These are real people our educational system failed to serve."