Count in that chorus advocates for disadvantaged urban districts, special-education students, taxpayers and suburban schools, for starters.

"One way or another, there's going to be legal challenges," predicted Paul Tractenberg, chairman of the Education Law Center that represents the Abbott districts.

Largely urban, the Abbotts have received a disproportionately higher share of state aid, by order of the state Supreme Court. Gov. Corzine has said his aid formula, which lawmakers approved yesterday, and his proposed $530 million in additional school funding would benefit students from low-income households regardless of their zip code.

Administration officials have said they intend to have the court review the funding formula and they expect that it will pass muster. Yesterday, the state did not yet have a time line for when the court review will happen.

The Education Law Center, however, is virtually sure to challenge the formula when it gets to court. Yesterday, Tractenberg said the new plan will hurt the Abbott districts, does not require districts to use additional funds to help poor children, and could compromise support for high-performing suburban districts.

Some of those achieving districts are likely to be lobbying their legislators.

"We certainly anticipate looking for ways to improve upon [the legislation], make amendments and work with the legislators," said Lynne Strickland, executive director of the Garden State Coalition of Schools which includes many suburban districts.

One question, she said, is the sustainability of the aid in the legislation.

Special-education advocates, meanwhile, have voiced concerns that they now hope to work with legislators to get addressed.

"We believe the bill could be improved and needs to be improved," said Brenda Considine, coordinator for the New Jersey Coalition for Special Education Funding Reform.

Under the new formula, some districts could receive less funding to cover special-education costs, forcing them to turn to taxpayers to help pay for government-mandated services, Considine said. The problem is not solved by the extra $20 million in special-education aid kicked in Monday night to sway legislators who initially voted against the funding formula, she said.

And despite the tax-relief provisions in Corzine's plan, New Jersey Taxpayers' Association president Jerry Cantrell wasn't applauding yesterday. He didn't rule out a court challenge.

With a budget shortfall looming, Cantrell, a former school board president, questioned where the money for the education plan would come from, if not the taxpayers.

"The taxpayer is still on the hook and a lot of people are arguing over the spoils," he said.

Frank Belluscio, spokesman for the New Jersey School Boards Association, said there are several issues with the formula still to be worked on.

"I don't think the debate is over by any means," he said. "Once the governor signs it, we're going to see how it works and if there need to be changes."

Of course, for some districts around the state looking at a projected 20 percent aid increase, the news from Trenton looked good.

"Black Horse Pike Regional School District stands to gain," said Ralph Ross, superintendent. "I think it's much-needed funds that we've done without."

While New Jersey argues over what it has done, in Pennsylvania, officials are applauding the Garden State for taking action.

A study commissioned by the Pennsylvania legislature and released in November says education is underfunded by $4.6 billion.

School-reform advocates and state policymakers want the General Assembly to act quickly, but the size of the spending gap raises a formidable obstacle. Pennsylvania currently ranks near the bottom nationwide in percentage of state funding for public school education.

State Education Secretary Gerald Zahorchak, in an e-mailed statement yesterday, said he applauded New Jersey for working to equalize funding.

"The issue is the same in every state in the country - ensuring that every child will receive a quality education regardless of where they live."

And Donna Cooper, Gov. Rendell's secretary of planning and policy, said: "It certainly is great to have our next-door neighbor showing that . . . the legislature can study the funding formula question, come up with an alternative and pass it in a matter of a few months." She called for the legislature to arrive at a funding formula and a way of implementing it quickly, adding that arriving at a new funding approach is "not a question of time; it's a question of will."

Inquirer staff writer Dan Hardy contributed to this article.