#618: Multi-Layered Brokering for Family Engagement in Out-of-School STEM: A Case Study of a Statewide Learning Network

Out-of-school time (OST) programs play a critical role in broadening participation in STEM by offering young people opportunities to explore interests and develop skills beyond formal schooling. Yet, the potential of these programs is constrained by limited and uneven strategies for engaging families—key partners in sustaining youth interest and identity in STEM. This study applies a multi-layered brokering framework to examine how Ignite Afterschool, Minnesota’s statewide OST intermediary, advanced family engagement in STEM programming. Using a qualitative case study approach, we analyze how Ignite brokered resources, knowledge, and opportunities that positioned families as active participants rather than peripheral supporters in their children’s OST STEM learning. Findings show how coordinated brokering across interpersonal and organizational levels can foster more inclusive, culturally responsive, and sustainable forms of family engagement. This work contributes a theoretically grounded model for understanding how network-level intermediaries can strengthen family learning and build connected, equitable OST ecosystems.