A New Era Begins

Established in 1910, Pi Lambda Theta has served to recognize outstanding students who intend to pursue careers in education. With more than 185,000 individuals who have been inducted across the nation, membership signifies a commitment to academic excellence and the teaching profession.

Pi Lambda Theta joined Phi Delta Kappa International to create a portfolio of membership services to serve the education community. In 1994, PDK International also acquired the Future Educators Association which became Educators Rising in 2015.

Today, our commitment to future educators remains strong. And we are proud to announce that Pi Lambda Theta has become the Educators Rising Honor Society.

What’s Changing

• Our name! We are changing our name to Educators Rising Honor Society.
• How to nominate eligible students. Instead of sending in files containing lists of eligible students, you can simply direct students to join through our website (below).
• Who is eligible to participate. We are expanding enrollment to include high school juniors and seniors.

Become a member of the Educators Rising Honor Society

Educators Rising Honor Society is one of the nation’s most prestigious education honor societies. Established in 1910 as Pi Lambda Theta, we serve to recognize outstanding students who intend to pursue careers in education. With more than 185,000 individuals who have been inducted across the nation, membership signifies a commitment to academic excellence and the teaching profession.

Why bring Educators Rising Honor Society to your college or university?

Educators Rising is a significant opportunity for your students. As members, your students will be recognized by potential employers as high-caliber job candidates and be distinguished at graduation as high-achieving students through honor regalia. It truly is an opportunity for you to showcase the outstanding students in your education program.

Educators Rising has over twenty-thousand members across the United States and works to encourage students interested in careers in education to pursue a path to the classroom into schools of education and beyond.

Benefits of Membership

Joining Educators Rising Honor Society is an easy yet powerful way for your students to be honored for their academic achievements. Teacher employers recognize membership in Educators Rising as a signifier of excellence. Additionally, it is an opportunity for you to recognize your outstanding students at graduation. Membership includes:

• A personalized certificate and pins or gold honor cords to wear at graduation
• A connection to outstanding education professionals who can open doors to future employment;
• Eligibility for scholarships to support their studies; and
• Access to low-cost professional liability insurance that covers them during clinical observations and preservice teaching assignments.

Who is eligible to apply for membership?

• Undergraduate sophomores, juniors, and seniors (with at least 30 credit hours) or recent graduates who intend to pursue a career in education and have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above
• Graduate students who have completed one or more semesters of grad school, intend to pursue a career in education, and have a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above. (If they haven’t yet finished their first semester of grad school, they can apply using their undergraduate school information and GPA.)
• Current educators or education professionals/support staff who graduated with a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or above

What is the fee structure?

Undergraduate sophomores who join Educators Rising Honor Society will receive an initiation pin and one year of membership for the low price of $54. Undergraduate juniors will receive a special Educators Rising “Educator” pin and one-year membership for only $64. Undergraduate seniors will receive graduation cords to show their accomplishments at graduation for a one-time fee of $74. All undergraduate levels will receive a personalized downloadable certificate.

To continue receiving Educators Rising honor and recognition, undergraduate sophomores and juniors will need to rejoin each year through their senior year.

For graduate students and Professional members there is a one-time fee of $74. Once you pay the fee, you will become a member for life.

Information for Faculty Advisors

As of November 2026, we are changing how students join our honor society.

We make it easy

Offering Educators Rising honor and recognition to your students is easy. You do not have to sanction a campus chapter or appoint a faculty advisor. All you need to do is direct interested students can easily apply by filling out our online application, linked here under Join.

Call us at 812-339-1156 or email info@educatorsrising.org to get more information or to get started.

There is no cost to your school to bring Educators Rising Honor Society to your college or university. We are supported through initiation fees and donations, meaning no cost to your institution.

Get In Touch

Need to get in touch? Want to learn more?