MIDDLESEX, NJ — Gov. Chris Christie has signed an overhaul to New Jersey’s tenure laws.

Now, it will be harder for teachers to get tenure protections and easier to lose them.

Christie signed the bill on Monday.

The measure passed both chambers of the Legislature unanimously in June. But Christie left some suspense over whether he would sign it.

He was disappointed that it retained seniority as the way to determine which educators will lose their jobs in case of layoffs.

As he signed the bill, he said that the last-in, first-out policy should be changed and that the state should find ways to pay more to top teachers.

The compromise version of the bill had the support of many education groups, including the state’s two major teachers unions.