Official Signing of the Louisiana-France Accords

Xavier Darcos, French Minister of Education, accompanied by Pierre Vimont, French Ambassador to the United States, signed the Louisiana-France Accords on September 25th, at 10:00 a.m. at the Governor’s Mansion, together with Paul Pastorek, Superintendent of the Department of Education; Warren Perrin, President of CODOFIL; Penny Dastugue, Board of Elementary and Secondary Education; Beth Courtney, President of Louisiana Public Broadcasting; and Sally Clausen, Higher Education Commissioner/Board of Regents.

To assess ways to further strengthen the relationship between France and Louisiana, French Minister of Education Xavier Darcos held bilateral talks at the Governor’s Mansion including education and cultural dignitaries such as Paul Pastorek, State Superintendent of Education; Terri Hammatt, World Language Program Consultant for the Louisiana Department of Education; Olivier Brochenim, Consul General of France; and David Cheramie, Executive Director of CODOFIL.

The Accords exemplify essential and unique ties that have bound Louisiana and France together. Their renewal offers an opportunity for Louisiana and France to reaffirm their collaboration in the educational and linguistic fields. Almost 200 teachers from French-speaking countries teach in immersion schools and contribute to Louisiana’s commitment to promote its rich and diverse French-speaking heritage.

Part III of the accords constitute the agreement between Louisiana State University and the Embassy of France, specifically concerning the National Resource Center for the Teaching of French as a Foreign Language and French Immersion, created within the French Education Project for Research and Teacher Education in the LSU College of Education.