Budget season can put a lot of school leaders on edge, but this year I received news that nearly sent me over the edge: There would no longer be funding for the administrators in my district to receive leadership coaching. The news was devastating. I was three years and three principals into my current role as an assistant principal, and the relationship with my coach had become a core component of my professional learning. She helped me navigate the varied challenges an elementary school leader in a high-achieving district faces, from supporting teacher teams to handling difficult conversations. Making the situation more stressful, my district does not offer robust systems of feedback and support for assistant principals. My self-designed growth plans reflected general goals I