Changing Schools - Help

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I need some advice about a possible change in school setting for my 8 year old son.

Background
Age - 8
Diagnosis - AS (was diagnosed with "moderate to severe Autism" at age 5, but later with AS, which is more fitting)

He started Pre-K at age 3 in an SDD Classroom (Significant Developmental Delays) and did very well - he went to regular Kindergarten at age 5 with everyone else and stayed at that school until 2nd grade. It was a Primary school, so it was only Pre-K through 2 and then the students transferred to the larger elementary school.

I'm a teacher, and it just so happened that I got the opportunity to change schools (where I teach) at the same time my son finished up 2nd grade. The school where I teach is a Full Paideia Magnet School (Public Magnet) and I thought it would be perfect for my son. Turns out I was right. The school is K-8 with only about 40 students per grade level and the positive atmosphere of the school really helps minimize bullying and other sorts of behaviors that can sprout up.

Unfortunately, my county is going through some nasty budget shortfalls and I'm afraid that some major changes will be made in the school - to the point where it may no longer be the ideal setting for my son that it is now.

My option is to keep him at the school with me or to return him to his zoned school, which is a very typical elementary school that leads to a large middle and high school. The school(s) he is zoned for aren't "bad" schools by any means, but they are very fitting for kids without such social difficulties and I'm afraid he will be bullied or just "get lost in the crowd."

If I do see that changing schools is in our future - would it be better to change him early (like, at the end of this year before he enters into 4th grade) or to hold out as long as possible (possibly until 8th grade if things work out.)

Changing schools this past time was extremely difficult - we had also bought a new house at the same time and his anxiety was through the roof. The first month of school was very difficult and even led to things like him pulling out his hair for awhile (the bald spot is still slightly visible) and not sleeping.

Any advice / suggestions?

I would say wait until the issue is forced. My son at 11 is able to handle so many things that he couldn't at 8; he has matured so much. And part of that was having him in a secure environment where he acquired confidence and flouished. That period of security allowed him to develop the skills he needed when he faced bigger challenges and a more difficult environment.

i'd wait to make any changes until you're certain about the budget cuts.

I will qualify my previous post just a bit. If you reach a point where you are pretty sure a change is going to need to be made, it is nice to do it at a smaller school a year before starting a larger school. A friend of my son's started at our elementary school in 5th grade so that he would know kids as he went into middle school in 6th. It is easier to make friends in the smaller 5th grade. But one key difference is that my son's friend changed from a school that was meeting his needs to another school that was meeting his needs - the parents had the boy in a French school before that so he would be fluent in the parent's native language, and this was a change they had planned all along, and that the child was on board with.