For the past four months, students around the world have had to immerse themselves in an online learning environment. Students have had to continue turning their work in and taking tests during a worldwide pandemic this semester, and it seems to be taking a toll on a number of them.

In 2019, Arizona was ranked third worst overall in public school education by financial advice website WalletHub. According to WalletHub, Arizona also has the fourth-highest high school dropout rate and the highest pupil-teacher ratio.

School districts have also been in danger of having their funding cut due to the number of students enrolled in their schools -- this number is constantly dropping due to the district's decision to prioritize health and safety and keeping classes completely remote.

Before the fall semester began, Mayor Regina Romero took to Twitter to express her concerns about reopening schools.

In a July 20 tweet thread, Romero said, "As a mother of two school-aged children, I know how important it is to have our kids continue their education in the classroom among friends and with the support of their teachers. The reality is that it may not be safe, especially for teachers who are medically vulnerable, to re-open schools while there is still significant spread of COVID-19."

Two major school districts in Tucson's south side have been considering all options during this fall semester, keeping their students updated and as safe as possible. Tucson Unified School District voted to reopen their schools in November, while Sunnyside Unified School District has chosen to continue remote learning until the beginning of the spring semester.

In a letter from SUSD Superintendent Steve Holmes, it is explained that the decision is due to many factors, but the high chances of the virus being spread over the holidays was a major one.

"Although the Pima County Health Department is not recommending that schools close at this time, out of an abundance of caution we feel it is necessary to be proactive about minimizing the spread of COVID-19 in our schools by staying remote through the holidays." Holmes says.

According to Tucson Unified School District's Governing Board President, Kristel Ann Foster, TUSD overturned their decision to switch to hybrid learning in November because they noticed a rise in the number of cases in their community.

Foster says she's been focusing on data and guidance from the Pima County Health Department ever since the semester began. In October, the data showed that the number of cases in Tucson was going down. Unfortunately, not long after, the data showed that number going back up. As of November 19, there are almost 8,000 COVID-19 cases in Pima County, according to The New York Times' latest map and case count.

While TUSD's Governing Board has voted to keep classes remote until the end of the fall semester, Foster says that she's concerned about students leaving TUSD and enrolling in a neighboring charter or private school.

Some students in low-income families have found themselves taking on a role as a parent -- their parents have to leave the house to work, and the students are left taking care of their younger siblings and making sure that everyone is doing their online schoolwork. Some parents depended on regular in-person classes to watch their kids while they're at work.

It's also important to consider how students who speak English as a second language are learning in this environment. Foster says that she's noticed it's been especially difficult for these students because they are no longer immersed in an environment where English is spoken around them. Some of these students are backpedaling and not able to practice their English on a regular basis anymore.

These situations lead to parents making the decision to enroll their children in charter or private schools that are offering in-person classes.

"The inequities are exasperated under COVID-19 right now." Foster says.

Foster says that the district has lost 2,600 students this semester to charter schools and private schools in the Tucson area. Public schools are funded on a per-pupil basis, meaning that this could lead to having to cut corners and possibly lay teachers off. Foster says that this decision is especially difficult to make when 45 percent of families want to return to in-person learning.

Pueblo High School Principal Frank Rosthenhausler says that Pueblo's enrollment has gone down due to COVID-19 as well. Pueblo is currently sitting at 1,645 students, but Rosthenhausler says that they were aiming for 1,750 this year.

"There is no magic bullet here as to what happened. It's just a combination of everything -- some families choosing to stay in Mexico, some families getting stuck in Mexico, some families just not choosing school at all, waiting until the pandemic is over. You also have a few parents who have chosen to find a school that offers some kind of in-person learning."

While this means that the district may lose funding, Rosthenhausler believes that safety should always be prioritized.

"You can't just put employees in a space where they don't feel safe. Teachers are the core of what we do, they are the main players in any school, and they have to feel safe."

Rosthenhausler also argues that families who have chosen to enroll their children in another school that offers in-person learning aren't at fault -- every family is doing what they can to survive.

Julia Romo, a senior at Pueblo High School, has been anxious about schools reopening ever since the semester began. Romo lives with her grandparents, who are at a high risk of contracting COVID-19. While Romo has been on top of her grades during the fall semester, she's been more stressed than ever. As a senior, Romo has had to begin focusing on her future endeavors and what she's going to do after graduating high school, all during the middle of a pandemic. Luckily, Romo's counselors and teachers have continued to help her throughout the semester.

"They always reach out and help me whenever needed. My counselor has helped me with my college applications. Mr. Cruz has helped me with my FAFSA. They're always helping all of the students."

Despite having staff help her, Romo is still concerned about reopening schools.

"If they were to make me return to school, I would talk to a supervisor or someone in charge in order to see what I could do." Romo says. "I don't think it's right that they're not listening to us and thinking about putting us in danger just because they're losing money."

In October, Romo sent a letter to the TUSD Governing Board expressing her concerns about reopening schools during the fall semester. In that letter, Romo says, "There are also students who, like in my case, live with their grandparents who have pre-existing conditions that can make the situation worse. We all deserve to be listened to and you should ask for the opinions of teachers because they don't have an option when it comes to whatever decision you make."

During this extremely difficult time, TUSD and SUSD have considered all options, making sure students and staff are as safe as possible. The decision to reopen schools will be voted on again before the start of the spring 2021 semester.