TRENTON, N.J. (CBS) - Changing teacher tenure in New Jersey is no longer just the goal of the Governor’s Office. A state senator has come up with her own plan.

Newark Democrat Teresa Ruiz chairs the Senate Education Committee. Her proposal would call for two annual ineffective ratings by local evaluators for a teacher to lose tenure. Not one as Gov. Chris Christie’s plan would do. After the first one, Ruiz says the troubled teacher would get help to improve.

“ It is also the responsibility of that school team to engage that individual with opportunities to show effectiveness within the next year.”

The Governor isn’t against the idea of giving troubled teachers a second chance, although not necessarily under a state mandate.

“School districts should be able to make the judgment about whether teachers who lost their tenure can find a plan that will improve their performance.”

Christie considers the Ruiz alternative a starting point to begin talking about a compromise over the issue.

Reported by David Madden, KYW Newsradio