He was known as the author of Light's Retention Scale, a counseling tool designed to help parents and teachers determine whether a child should be retained.
Used for children in kindergarten through high school, the test evaluates a student in nineteen categories, including attendance, intelligence, motivation, academic performance, and several other factors.
According to the publisher, Academic Therapy Publications, more than one million copies have been sold and more than 90 percent of all North American schools use this tool.
He has also written Beyond Retention a handbook for teachers, Mental Retardation, a guide for professionals, School Vandalism and other articles.
During 1999, Light assisted law enforcement in several situations and was named "Public Safety Officer of the year" by California Senator Milton Marks.