French Immersion Schools in New Orleans

This page lists every French immersion and French curriculum school in New Orleans, charter and private, and all of them in New Orleans itself — each with its program type, tuition, enrollment and accreditation. It is one metro area of an independent directory covering 239 schools across 34 US states.

Dual language programs follow the American curriculum with the school day split between French and English; French curriculum schools follow the French national program and are accredited by the French Ministry of Education. The one private school, Ecole Bilingue de la Nouvelle Orleans, charges about $18,000 a year.

New Orleans has the most concentrated network of French charter schools in the United States. 8 of the city’s 9 French-language schools are free public charters operating under the Recovery School District — the post-Katrina governance structure that transformed New Orleans into a nearly all-charter city. The result is unusual: families can access French immersion at no cost, without residency restrictions, through a lottery.

Three charter networks dominate: Lycée Français International de la Louisiane (2 campuses: Primary in the French Quarter, Secondary on Leonidas Street), International School of Louisiana (St. Roch and Uptown campuses), and Edward Hynes Charter (Lakeview and LSU New Orleans campuses), plus Audubon Public Charter’s two campuses — together covering early childhood through high school. The private option is École Bilingue de la Nouvelle-Orléans, an AEFE-affiliated school on the Uptown side.

New Orleans’ French bilingual tradition predates the charter movement by two centuries, rooted in the city’s Creole and Cajun heritage. The school network is also supported by CODOFIL (Council for the Development of French in Louisiana), the state agency that places French-certified teachers from France, Belgium, and Québec in Louisiana classrooms.

What AEFE homologation, LabelFrancÉducation, the American accreditors and the International Baccalaureate each certify is explained in the guide to accreditations and credentials. For younger children, a separate daycare directory covers French daycares and preschools. You can also see every French school in Louisiana, or browse the full national directory.

We hope you will find this directory useful, and please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, comments or additional information on the schools listed here — or a school we are missing.