Randall Reback

Professor of Economics, Department of Economics,

Barnard College

Randall Reback is a professor of economics at Barnard College and a faculty affiliate with the Population Research Center at Columbia University. He previously served as chair of the Barnard Department of Economics. His research focuses on the economics of education, particularly U.S. school finance, school accountability, school counselors, and school-based health programs. He was formerly a journal editor for Education Finance & Policy. Early in his career, he was a fifth-grade teacher in East Palo Alto, California. Reback earned his MA and PhD in economics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

updated 2025

Contributing topics

Educator workforce & effectiveness

Supporting students’ social-emotional, mental & physical health

Contributing initiatives

COVID-19 Recovery

Getting Down To Facts II

Commentary by Randall Reback

September 18, 2012 : Mental Health Services: A Cost-Effective Option for Increased Learning

Randall Reback in the Media

August 7, 2020 : How Schools Can Help Children Recover from COVID Closures

December 18, 2018 : With Sparse State Funding, California Districts Get Creative in Addressing Student Health

September 18, 2018 : School-Based Health Care a Low Priority in California

September 17, 2018 : Report: California Schools Have Improved, But Major Funding Challenges Remain

January 14, 2016 : Half the People Working in Schools Aren’t Classroom Teachers—So What?

Publications by Randall Reback

September 2018

Investments in Students’ Physical and Mental Health in California’s Public Schools

Children's health, especially in low-income households, affects their future success. California has improved access to healthcare but still has gaps due to poor quality care and lack of access to providers. Mental health is a growing concern, but…