The Council for the Development of French in Louisiana was created in 1968 by the Louisiana Legislative Assembly. Under Act No. 409, the Governor of the State is authorized to appoint the President and fifty members of the Council.

CODOFIL is responsible for “taking any initiative to ensure the development, use and preservation of the French language as it exists in Louisiana for the cultural, economic and tourist benefit of the state”. He was responsible for the official status of the French language in Louisiana and the renewal of French in American national education, particularly in French immersion programs: “French Immersion”.

It was with the aim of supporting CODOFIL (the only state agency in the United States dedicated to the defence of a minority language) that William Arceneaux and James Domengeaux (the founder of CODOFIL) founded the CODOFIL Foundation.

The CODOFIL Foundation is a private non-profit association pursuing CODOFIL’s educational, cultural, and linguistic objectives