"It's rather unfortunate they get published the way they do."
Merit and excellence endorsements were far more valuable to students than passing more credits, Mr Crosbie said.
"You can be doing very well and be in the bottom five of the decile 10," he added.
Russell Gordon, principal of Mount Maunganui College, said achievement should be measured by a student's potential versus actual results.
"If a student has achieved their potential, that's the measuring point a student should have," he said.
Deans and other staff at the school focus on tracking and monitoring students' progress to ensure they fulfil their potential, he added.
"We're pretty proud of the value we're adding to our students...producing well-rounded kids is our main priority."
Integrated Catholic school Aquinas College was in the top five for its decile, with 98.9 per cent of level 2 students passing NCEA.
Aquinas College Principal Ray Scott said "We are very pleased with our results from last year. They are a credit to the students, staff and families."
Tauranga Boys' College had a pass rate of 77.7 per cent at level 2, putting it in the bottom five decile 6 schools.
The college's pass rate was higher at levels 1 and 3 - 84.3 and 85.8 per cent.
The level 2 pass rate has dropped significantly since 2015, when it was 85.2 per cent.
Tauranga Boys' College principal Robert Mangan said the pass rate "doesn't give a true picture" of students' achievement.
The figure excluded 60 students in the extension classes who sat NCEA level 2 a year early in 2015, he said, although the school was hoping for a better pass rate last year.
"Our level 2s are not at the level we hoped they would be, but we are very pleased with our level 3 results," Mr Mangan said.
"We are very pleased with our roll-based UE pass rate and see this as the most accurate measure of student achievement and the figure least able to be manipulated.
"Our UE pass rate was 59.6 per cent, compared with nationally 48.7 per cent and boys nationally 42.2 per cent."
The Ministry of Education figures were participation-based rather than roll-based, meaning students withdrawn or not entered for NCEA qualifications were not counted.
Three schools in Rotorua placed in the top five for their deciles according to these numbers - John Paul College, Rotorua Boys' High School and Rotorua Girls' High School.
John Paul College had 99.4 per cent of its level 2 students pass NCEA, putting it at the top of the decile 7 pass rates.
Rotorua Girls' High School was in the top 5 decile 3 schools in the country with a 96.5 per cent pass rate.
Rotorua Boys' High was not far behind on 96.3 per cent.
The national average pass rate for NCEA level 2 was 89.9 per cent, up slightly from 88.5 per cent in 2015.
Bethlehem and Mount Maunganui colleges had pass rates similar to the national average at level 2 - 89 and 90 per cent respectively.
Using NCEA to spring forward out of school
Former Aquinas College student Jamie Regan took his Year 13 NCEA exams last year before moving to Christchurch to the New Zealand Broadcasting school.
"I think that overall the main focus is on academics as opposed to other schools that might focus on sport or arts or something like that.
"It tends to come first for the majority of students."
He said the teachers were also willing to stick around after class if students needed help with something.
"The way they help us prepare for exams is useful, by going over old exam papers, but I can't compare it to other schools because I don't know what they do."
Mr Regan had to do work experience outside college to get into broadcasting school but he credits his good NCEA results and experience at Aquinas College for helping him.
"Once you have University Entrance it kind of doesn't matter unless you want to go for a scholarship."
