Coaching-based leadership (CBL) is recognized for its positive effects on employee growth, well-being, and performance. Although school leadership is vital for enhancing teachers' well-being and performance, school leadership practices have received less attention. Additionally, no existing scale has been found to assess teacher-oriented CBL. This study evaluates the psychometric properties of the Portuguese adaptation of the Coaching-Based Leadership Scale (CBLS) and compares cross-group perceptions of CBL practices. We adapted two versions of the CBLS (General Survey and Teacher Survey), each containing both leader and employee versions.. Two samples were collected: 501 general workers (323 employees and 178 leaders) and 992 teachers (620 non-leaders and 372 leaders). Data analyses supported the scale's bi-factorial structure and reliability. The 16-item CBLS measures one general factor and four sub-factors: working alliance, open communication, learning and development, and progress and results. Multi-group invariance was attained across gender, work context, and instructional level. Group comparisons showed no significant differences in the perceptions of CBL between educational and non-educational employees. However, teachers reported fewer leadership practices supporting learning and development compared to non-educational workers. Leaders in educational settings also rated their CBL behaviors lower than those in non-educational contexts. Comparing leaders' and employees' perceptions revealed consistent gaps, with employees rating leaders' coaching behaviors lower than leaders' self-assessments across all subscales. Our findings highlight three key ideas. First, non-leader teachers appear to have less access to developmental support and growth opportunities than their counterparts outside the education sector. Second, school leaders face more challenges in providing effective, supportive, and goal-oriented leadership. Third, we found mismatched perceptions of leadership practices between employees and leaders, which may undermine the motivational and developmental impact of CBL. Overall, this study contributes to an evidence-based discussion on the importance of addressing CBL in educational settings and warns of assessment and training needs.