BOSTON -- Independent candidate for governor, Christy Mihos, was on the campaign trail Friday to promote his education plan for Massachusetts.

NewsCenter 5's David Boeri reported that Mihos wants to end the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System test high school graduation requirement.

Mihos enjoyed the discomfort he caused to the Republican elite when he jumped into the race as an independent in March. Six months later, he said he's never enjoyed himself more than running for office. He said he savors the role of taking positions that stand out.

"We should get rid of MCAS. I did say that. It should certainly not be a condition of graduation from high school," Mihos said.

Mihos made the pitch to the Massachusetts Teachers Union. He's the only candidate who said the all-or-nothing test for students should be tossed.

"To judge (the students) on one standardized test, and whether they go on to get high school diploma is something that just doesn't work," Mihos said.

If there is to be a standardized test, Mihos said it should measure the whole curriculum.

"Give the kids really what we need to give them -- a well-rounded education and a way to teach them how to think as opposed to how to memorize," Mihos said.

Mihos also took aim at the current Republican administration and the Democratic Legislature for raising standards while cutting aid.

"I'd increase local aid from 28 percent of the state annual revenues to 40 percent. Give the cities and towns back more than a billion dollars they've had taken away by Romney and Healey administration," Mihos said.

Mihos said his solution is to give the local governments back their local aid, let them make their own decisions about education and let the teachers teach.

"Since education reform got passed, we've spent $9 billion from that day forward, right? What is it that we know now that we didn’t know then? If a city or town is well-funded and education is well-funded, those kids are going to do OK," Mihos said.

The state Department of Education, which implements and normally defends the MCAS exams, declined comment on Mihos' statements, saying, "It's not our place to get in the middle of the governor's race."