When it comes to online learning, Mass., Rhode Island take wildly divergent paths

Rhode Island stresses academic business as usual, Massachusetts opts for local control

All but three of the 15 students in Evan Lancia’s senior writing class at Cranston High School West were logged into a Google Meet one recent Thursday afternoon. A young woman sat at a desk in her bedroom, offering poignant thoughts about the mental health of those in quarantine. Another classmate joined from outdoors, explaining that he wanted to focus on ways students can stay active.

At 80 percent attendance, Lancia’s otherwise successful class was actually below average...