As an honor society, its purpose is to recognize persons of superior scholastic achievement and high potential for professional leadership.

[1] Pi Lambda Theta is a wholly-owned subsidiary of PDK International, a professional association for educators.

As such, Pi Lambda Theta members may choose to participate in PDK during and after graduation, with programs within the field of education.

Its Founders, their schools and eventual chapters were: These local societies formed in response to the recent establishment of similar men's honor fraternities for education, with the oldest of the women's groups, at Missouri, dating to 1910, which is recognized as its founding year.

From its early days the fraternity has opted for a model that combines aspects of an honor society (more stringent GPA requirements) with an ongoing professional advocacy program, intended to advance education as a profession.