Reasoning Level 1 and Literacy

It is not uncommon for a person to be limited to simple one and two-step instructions/tasks. That might be true based on a dearth of education or by virtue of a mental impairment regardless of cause. The regulations define illiteracy and marginal education. 20 CFR §§ 404.1564, 416.964. Subsection (b) defines the terms:

(1) Illiteracy. Illiteracy means the inability to read or write. We consider someone illiterate if the person cannot read or write a simple message such as instructions or inventory lists even though the person can sign his or her name. Generally, an illiterate person has had little or no formal schooling.

(2) Marginal education. Marginal education means ability in reasoning, arithmetic, and language skills which are needed to do simple, unskilled types of jobs. We generally consider that formal schooling at a 6th grade level or less is a marginal education.

What grade level accomplishment or ability under subsection (a) corresponds to illiterate. Before marking out that concept, determine first the General Educational Development in the DOT. I use SkillTRAN's  Pocket Guide for that answer:

Reasoning level 1 is consistent with grade levels 1-3. Reasoning is always the highest level of achievement/capacity of the RML codes. The DOT has 2-1-1 occupations but never 1-1-2 or 1-2-1. Reasoing comes first. 

Once we accept that R1 is the equivalent of an educational capacity of grades 1-3. we next turn to the question of literacy. For that answer, turn to agency policy set forth in Social Security Ruling 20-1p. The ruling sets out the subsection (b) definitions in the body and pointing to the regulations in footnote 8. In footnote 14, the ruling and policy binding on agency components states:

Typically, fourth grade is when students transition from a focus on learning to read to a focus on reading to learn. See Reading Achievement of U.S. Fourth-Grade Students in an International Context, https://nces.ed.gov/pubs2018/2018017.pdf , p.1. The rate of literacy (defined as an ability to understand, read, and write a short, simple statement on everyday life) increased from 33.4% with one year of primary schooling to 95.3% with four years of primary schooling.

Absent evidence to the contrary, a limitation to R1 work is consistent with grades 1-3 which in turn is consistent with a functional capacity of illiterate. That is binding agency policy. A person that functions with a limitation to reasoning level 1 should be evaluated as illiterate when using the Occupational Requirements Survey.

The ORS covers a limitation to 1-2 step instructions. 

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Suggested Citation:

Lawrence Rohlfing, Reasoning Level 1 and Literacy, California Social Security Attorney (July 20, 2026) https://californiasocialsecurityattorney.blogspot.com

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