In some embodiments, multiple switch modules associated with a stage within a switch fabric can be operatively coupled to a schedule module. As shown in FIG. 8, switch modules 812 of the first stage 840 are operatively coupled to schedule module 850, and switch modules 814 of the second stage 842 are operatively coupled to schedule module 860. The schedule module operatively coupled to the switch modules associated with a stage can be shared by the switch modules of the stage, such that the schedule module can be configured to randomly select an egress port from a list of egress port for sending a data cell from each of the switch modules of the stage.