I've worked for districts/schools that cared a lot about work gaps, and others who didn't care at all. Frankly, those who parse every detail of a person's work history with the idea that super consistent employment is the only acceptable life history . . . they're not always the folks you want to work for. That kind of judgmental assumption might permeate everything they do, not just in hiring.

In today's world, people leave the profession and return for all sorts of reasons, and may even come back from other types of work more prepared and with better insight than their first tour of duty in education. There'll be a school out there that will take time to understand your life story and give you the opportunity you're seeking.