I usually sign up for classes to learn a new technique. I usually won't sign up for a class to make a specific pattern. I can purchase the pattern and read the instructions or find it on the internet. One good thing about taking classes is the fellowship of other quilters. You can learn a lot from other quilters and learn a lot of shortcuts or other ways of doing something. My personal irritation about taking classes is that there is a long supply list of items that are never used in the class. I'm on a limited budget and don't need to be buying supplies that I don't need.
I just took a class from a well known instructor and she said that classes are slow all over and a lot of instructors have open schedules with very few bookings. I don't know if it's the economy or the internet. I hope things pick up for you.