Final answer:
The local results do not adhere to the U.S. overall student population distribution b) Reject the null hypothesis.
Step-by-step explanation:
To assess whether the local results align with the distribution of the U.S. overall student population based on ethnicity, a goodness-of-fit test is conducted. The null hypothesis posits no significant deviation between the local results and the expected distribution. A low p-value, typically below the chosen significance level, results in rejecting the null hypothesis, indicating that the observed data significantly diverges from the anticipated distribution.
Consequently, option b is chosen, signifying that the local results do not conform to the expected distribution of the U.S. overall student population based on ethnicity. The rejection of the null hypothesis prompts further investigation into factors contributing to this disparity and underscores the significance of understanding the unique characteristics of the local student population.