Senate Bill 602 aims to amend the eligibility criteria for private schools participating in the Milwaukee Parental Choice Program, Racine Parental Choice Program, and Wisconsin Parental Choice Program by explicitly prohibiting virtual schools from participating. The bill introduces new legal language in sections 118.60 (2) (a) 10. and 119.23 (2) (a) 10. of the statutes, stating that a private school must not be a virtual school, which is defined as a school where instruction is provided through the Internet and where students and instructional staff are geographically remote from one another.

The bill's provisions will take effect for private schools participating in these programs starting in the 2026-27 school year. This legislative change reflects a shift in policy aimed at ensuring that only traditional, in-person private schools can participate in these parental choice programs, thereby excluding those that operate primarily online.