There is a course for just over $200 offered by technical colleges (in every state).  I just took the course on Monday and Tuesday of this week (6 hours classroom and 10 hours range) and found them to be very patient although they did have high expectations. It was my 47th birthday present to myself.  I'm now a licensed motorcylist in the state of WI.  I know it's a lot of money, but take the course again while the things you did learn are fresh.  If you truly want to ride, it's worth the money.  

When I started riding in 2001, I went surfing, and the numbers were staggering. When states instituted MSF mandatory courses, the 1st year crash and fatality rates dropped by 50-75%.
I asked myself if cutting my risk  of splatting by at least 50% was worth $200, I cut out a couple pizzas.

I suspect that if you take it because you are interested in learning how to ride, and ride safely, it might work better. In the mandatory group you have the group that is doing it to get the license, then it's going to go flying out of their brains.