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The reason MA is able to replace the schools is that they enacted legislation in 2004 and created Commonwealth's school building assistance program (SBA) And comparing it to the RI program there is no comparison... That is why MA is able to build new schools...

"Since its establishment in 2004, the MSBA has made more than $10.1 billion in reimbursements to cities, towns and regional school districts for school construction projects. Instead of waiting years for reimbursement, districts now receive payments from the MSBA as costs are incurred. These timely payments have saved municipalities over $2.9 billion in avoided local interest costs.[2] To fulfill its mission of developing fiscally responsible and educationally appropriate capital improvements, the MSBA has:[2]

Made full or partial payments to more than 424 of the 428 projects on the waiting list, with funding available for the remaining projects once they begin construction

Received and processed over 180 Statements of Interest from communities interested in participating in the program

Instituted an accelerated audit program that has completed more than 772 of the 800 backlogged audits inherited from the former program

Audited over $14 billion in project costs

Made it possible for local municipal or regional school districts to avoided $2.9 billion in interest costs, by increasing speed which projects move through the capital funding process

Saved Massachusetts and its municipalities over $1.1 billion by establishing of reasonable enrollment projections; increased oversight of school improvement projects with reasonable project budgets the prevent growth in scope or budget; and exercises due diligence by making more than 450 site visits to more than 160 school districts"